AN Ellesmere Port woman has now provided 20,000 protective headbands for hospital staff and carers across the UK – and demand is still growing.

But Beckie Blundell has warned that the funds she and her team of volunteers need in order to continue making the special headbands is running low.

The 30-year-old came up with the idea at the start of the coronavirus pandemic after her sister Gemma Farr – a nurse at Ellesmere Port Hospital who tested positive for Covid-19 in April – complained about having sore ears.

Healthcare workers simply attach their protective face masks to buttons on the headbands to avoid getting painful sores.

Beckie and her team have sewn headbands for thousands of healthcare workers locally and further afield in places such as Belfast, Birmingham and London.

She has raised just under £3,000 to cover material and postage costs, and in the event of anything remaining it will be donated to the NHS.

Posting on the Headbands for Healthcare Workers UK Facebook page, Beckie said: "We have officially helped 20,000 NHS and healthcare workers.

"As we come out of lockdown people think NHS and healthcare workers don't need our help anymore, but it couldn't be further from the truth.

"As masks are now mandatory in every department, more workers are experiencing sore ears.

"Again we want to help as many as we can but funds are low and we want to raise money for NHS as well.

"We are asking everyone who has supported us please share our fundraising page with your friends, family and across social media.

"Thank you to everyone who has supported us so far."

Beckie has also thanked councillors Mike Edwardson, Karen Shore and Brian Jones for their help and donations to the camapign.

To support Beckie's fundraiser visit Headbands for Healthcare Workers UK.