Grandmother, 81, spends lockdown making face masks for community and supporting Sunderland's St Benedict's Hospice

An 81-year-old grandmother has spent lockdown supporting her community by making face masks – and raising more than £200 for charity in the process.
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Sylvia McBeth, from Hetton, has been sowing and knitting face masks for the community, and donating the money raised to St Benedict’s Hospice. So far she has raised over £200 for the charity.

Sylvia, who has been in isolation for the past three months due to being vulnerable to coronavirus, wanted to use her free time to help others and decided to put her hobbies of sewing and knitting to good use after being encouraged by her granddaughters.

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Sylvia, a retired shop manager, has lost count of the amount of face masks she’s made throughout lockdown, but is delighted she’s been able to help people.

Sylvia (front) with her familySylvia (front) with her family
Sylvia (front) with her family

She said: “I have to stay in and I wanted something to do and there were so many people who couldn’t get masks.

“I just enjoy sewing and thought I could help.”

Sylvia’s granddaughters Sophie and Racheal Richardson have been out delivering the face masks on Slyvia’s behalf, and are extremely proud of what their grandmother has done.

Rachael said: “The reaction has been amazing. I have had so many messages from people saying how wonderful she is. We are very proud of her as a family.”

Sylvia has been using colourful patterns for the masks to make them more child-friendly, and has been making them in a range sizes for all ages.

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