A Glasgow tailor who has transformed his business during the coronavirus crisis has today delivered his 5000th piece of personal protective equipment to a local care home.

Tommy Rae, 54, transformed his tailoring business in Easterhouse to carry out producing PPE for frontline workers during the current global pandemic.

He was so inspired by the work being carried out by our medical care community that he decided to offer practical help. 

In the past few weeks, Tom has been producing scrubs and face mask for free to the NHS and the city's care homes. 

A small army of volunteers set up an online crowdfunding page to allow him to buy raw materials to produce the shielding equipment. 

Glasgow Times:

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Tom has now handed over his 5000th piece of kit, a set of surgical scrubs, to St Josph's Nursing and Residential home in Robroyston. 

He said: “I had a heart attack two years ago and know the selfless dedication that our NHS and care workers give to us every day. 

“Knowing how short of PPE they were, I decided to turn my skills into doing something that would benefit the sick and those taking care of them,” he said.

According to his clients, his scrubs are an improvement on the NHS' own design.

Through the JustGiving funds, he has also been able to source additional equipment and taken on a dozen volunteers – from amateur seamstresses to a retired tailor, and a nurse at the Glasgow Royal Infirmary.

As the Covid-19 outbreak passes, Tommy intends to change the focus of his company to make PPE a core part of his business – but retaining an element of charitable giving for the care sector.

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“I would like to thank all the volunteers who work with me, and who have become as precious as family,” said Tommy.

“The people of Glasgow have been utterly fantastic, from volunteering, or donating money or material.  Most of all, all of us owe a debt of gratitude to everyone who is providing care to the sick and the elderly and frail."