Manner Issue 12 | Page 52

'MY MASK PROTECTS YOU; YOUR MASK PROTECTS ME.' Jerseymasks4all, a local Facebook group set up by Petra Leggett and Lindi Lawrenson, has helped hundreds of islanders obtain masks during this pandemic. Sophie Wilkinson spoke to Petra about the group and how it all started. Hi Petra, you are the co-founder of the Facebook group Jersey masks4all, can you tell me how it all started? At the end of the March I set up a Facebook page, Jersey masks, it was very quickly full of people desperate for masks. Initially, I just wanted to connect mask makers with those in need of a mask, but that was impossible at the beginning. We had such a high demand for masks and not enough sewers. Being from the Czech Republic and watching the benefits of mask-wearing I was motivated to run a page that helps Jersey people too. At the beginning of April, I had a call from a lady called Lindi Lawrenson. She is the wife of a Paediatric at the hospital who posted one of the first online videos in Jersey, educating people about the importance of wearing masks and the evidence behind it. (The video can be found on Youtube: https://youtu.be/vo5XIQlaFSA) Lindi asked if I’d be interested in joining my Facebook page and her evidence videos and research and work together. I said yes immediately and we agreed to create a new Facebook group called Jerseymasks4all, which was inspired by the already created Facebook group called Masks4All with a headline: My mask protects you; your mask protects me. Who’s involved in making the masks? I was never going to be the sewer as I had no knowledge Petra Leggett of sewing and didn't have material or a machine. Lindi was already sewing for the frontline workers. Once I started the Facebook page, a kind lady called Jane Woodrow got in touch and offered her sewing machine for the time of mask making, little did I know she has now gifted the machine to me, which is beyond generous and I am ever so grateful. We then created a post asking people to help us with sewing and quite quickly established a great team of about 30 sewers willing to donate their masks for free. 52