New Mills teaching assistant makes more than 1,000 face mask 'comforters' for healthcare staff

Susan Butler started making the comforters after an appeal on Facebook from health workers who were saying that the elastic on fabric face masks was making their ears sore.

The comforter sits on the back of a worker’s head and the elastic sits on top of it, moving it away from their ears.

Since mid-March, Susan has used a scan and cut machine that she has at home to make 1,000 comforters with help from her husband Peter.

She said: “I’ve had lots of lovely feedback on Facebook. The comforters have gone to Stepping Hill Hospital and other hospital establishments, local care practices and many other facilities who require support for their frontline workers.

“Lots of people working within different support services have contacted me directly to request them as word has got around how good they are.

“Many have been made for St John Ambulance and paramedics in Stockport. I feel that I am just giving back to the NHS who have supported myself and all my family members throughout many years.

“I am now receiving pictures of frontline staff wearing the comforters and this gives me great satisfaction that they are working. I have been using plastic from milk bottles to make the comforters and following a leaflet drop to my lovely neighbours I go out and find milk bottles over my wall for me to use.”

A plastics company in Stockport called Macpac, which also makes face visors, donated a large amount of plastic to Susan to enable her to make more comforters.

She said: “I would like to thank Chris Bullimore from the company for this generous donation.”

Susan, 63, of New Mills, has previously worked in the NHS for 35 years based in hospitals throughout the south of England. Her sister-in-law is working on the frontline and her brother is also in the NHS.

She has been a teaching assistant at St Mary’s CVA, which is part of the St Ralph Sherwin Catholic Multi Academy Trust, for nine years and has been crafting for around three years.