Rainbow scrubs made for healthcare workers during COVID-19

Set of medium sized 'Rainbow scrubs’, created in 2020 by the community sewing group The Sewing Angels based around Kingston-upon-Thames, for use by NHS or care home staff during the Covid-19 pandemic, consisting of a red top with light blue, yellow, orange and green trim, a red pocket, a green pocket embroidered with a rainbow and a dark blue pocket embroidered with ‘Sewing Angels’, and dark blue trousers with an orange pocket embroidered with ‘Sewing Angels’ and a light blue pocket embroidered with a rainbow. Collected as part of the Covid-19 Collecting Project.

In March 2020, during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom, personal protective equipment (PPE) was the only way for healthcare workers to protect themselves from COVID-19. There was huge concern whether the NHS had enough PPE for its staff. This shortage captured the public attention. Based in Kingston upon Thames, the Sewing Angels were one of hundreds of community groups who volunteered making PPE. The group’s founder reached out locally for volunteers with sewing experience. 25 women, aged 30 to 70, volunteered to help. Between April and December 2020, the group made more than 260 sets of scrubs and over 2,500 masks. These were donated to hospitals and care homes. Masks were also given to the homeless and local food banks.

Designed in June 2020 to pay tribute to the NHS, these scrubs are embroidered with a rainbow. They were also designed to incorporate all the colours of the rainbow. Each set is unique and was made with different coloured pockets and neck bands, using the whole spectrum of the rainbow within each set. Rainbows came to symbolise public support for the NHS during the pandemic. The Sewing Angels donated the rainbow scrubs to paediatric and paediatric A&E departments. Both healthcare workers and patients really enjoyed the fun rainbow design.

During the first lockdown, what people could do was severely limited, and the situation felt very uncertain. Community groups like the Sewing Angels were vital to people's wellbeing. They gave volunteers a focus for their time, an opportunity to connect with others, and a way to help the NHS.