Victoria Begg Sew Halton Founder

Sew Halton was set up in 2018 in Runcorn as a way to empower the community by improving confidence, reducing isolation and offering support and advice using sewing as vehicle to boost mental health.

Working with mostly long term unemployed people, Sew Halton offers free sewing lessons to the community and a safe environment for people to engage with others while building up skills. Since the 6th April during lockdown, the group has become involved with making much needed scrubs for medical staff and carers working on the front line.

“We were just going to do it with a small amount of people that we knew liked sewing and it just went crazy! We’ve had to take on someone to do the admin now and it’s grown to a group of 75 people who are sewing scrubs to help the NHS.

The LCR Cares funding is allowing us to not only get more fabric – we’ve had a lot donated – but also to be able to move our sewing classes online so we can continue to provide lessons and remain an emotional support for people in difficult situations during lockdown and beyond.

For some people this online connection with us is their only outlet, their only contact with the outside world and breaking down social isolation is a big part of what we’re doing.

I’m a very active person, and when lockdown began and I had to stop work and social distance from family and friends. I found I was sitting there getting a bit down. I mean I felt like I wanted to do something, empower the community. I thought to myself, if I’m feeling like this, then how is this situation affecting others in worse circumstances?

That’s why I feel it’s very important to be able to stay in contact with the women who have been involved in our sewing classes. It’s not just about sewing, it’s about emotional support and positive mental health during these difficult times.

That time is also being put to good use as we are making scrubs for the medical profession. We have all levels of ability. Some ladies have been seamstresses working on machine lines and others are novices but the look of delight and satisfaction when that garment is completed makes the teaching all so worthwhile.

I hope we can continue for as long as we need to during this crisis being able to help by using our skills.”

Victoria Begg Sew Halton Founder.

LCRCares is a crowdfunding campaign to raise £1million to support community and voluntary organisations on the frontline of helping the city region’s communities cope with the impact of Coronavirus.