Historic Sunderland firm Speeding’s steps up to support NHS in coronavirus fight with making gowns

Sunderland’s oldest manufacturing company is joining the fight to flatten the curve of Covid-19 after pledging to produce thousands of gowns for the NHS.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Set up in the 1820s to make sails for ships built on the Wear, Speeding’s is stepping up production at its base in Leechmere to make thousands of items of clothing for staff working on the front line of the coronavirus pandemic.

The clothes will be sent out to workers in hospitals across the North East and Yorkshire.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Speeding’s already has a contract with emergency services, including the NHS and fire service, producing response bags for use by paramedics and firefighters across the country.

Kurt Westoe, the factory manager, and Natasha Orr, the senior supervisor, at Speeding's.Kurt Westoe, the factory manager, and Natasha Orr, the senior supervisor, at Speeding's.
Kurt Westoe, the factory manager, and Natasha Orr, the senior supervisor, at Speeding's.

Now, its team of around 40 staff is working to manufacture more than 700 pieces of clothing a day. The addition of a second evening shift will help boost the output to 1,700 items a day.

Rob Hammal, managing director at Speeding’s, gave his thanks to the company’s workers for their efforts in making the production happen.

Read More
Follow the latest on the coronavirus pandemic on our daily live blog

He said: “As an existing supplier to the NHS, we were keen to support as best as possible, so when the call came in for gowns, we wanted to do all we could to get them into production as quickly as possible.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“We took our first delivery of fabric this week and will be producing hundreds of items a day to support the NHS. It’s a time when everyone needs to come together and do what they can, so we are glad to be able to help.

“I’m really grateful to the team who are stepping up to the plate to get these into production as quickly as possible, so that our incredible NHS has the supplies it needs, and also to our existing customers, many of whom have agreed to take smaller quantities of their items or put back their orders to allow us to fulfil this urgent order.”

Speeding’s answered a call from the NHS to provide additional kit, and is making the items at cost-price to support the fight against the virus.

The creation of the gowns will run alongside the company’s usual production line, which also includes orders for major brands.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Councillor Graeme Miller, leader of Sunderland City Council, spoke of his pride in Wearside’s businesses for stepping up in support of the nation’s efforts to beat the virus.

He added: “Speeding’s has an incredibly proud history, and during what will no doubt come to be remembered as one of the greatest challenges the world has faced, it is fitting that the city’s oldest manufacturer is turning its hand to producing items that will support the effort to beat this virus.

“It has been incredible to see so many Sunderland businesses stepping up to beat COVID-19 and I am enormously proud of each and every one of them.”

Speeding’s is based on Carrmere Road on Leechmere Industrial Estate.

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards in the world.

But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news and information by buying a copy of our newspaper.

Thank you.

How to subscribe to the print edition:

It’s easy to subscribe to your local newspaper. We have arranged a special 20 per cent off subscription offer for people to take advantage of.

Visit www.localsubsplus.co.uk, choose the newspaper title, the type of subscription and enter your details.