Wigan woman who made thousands of masks given award

Kathleen Marsh gives Debbie Lieper the Heart of the Community Award

She cranked up her sewing machine this year and produced more than 3,000 face coverings in a variety of colours and designs.

Seamstress Debbie is no stranger to using her needlework skills to help others as she is a member of the Knit and Natter group at The One House in Aspull and usually knits vital hats for premature babies at NHS maternity units.

But her latest creations have travelled far and wide after Kathleen Marsh from The One House began posting the face coverings on local selling sites.

Orders began flooding in, with masks heading to New Zealand and Australia, parts of Africa and all over the UK, including the island of Arran in Scotland, Wales and the Isle of Man.

Kathleen joined ward elected representative Coun Chris Ready to present Debbie with her accolade.

Debbie said: “You could have knocked me down with a feather seeing Kathleen on my door step, then having a cabinet member of the council hiding round my door with an award for my services.

“I just love helping others and the One House have helped me, so this is my way of giving something back.

“It was a great surprise and really made my day.”

Debbie was also given a Community Star Award for her efforts.

Kathleen said: “Debbie’s tireless efforts have been truly amazing. She has been spending days upon days on her sewing machine providing funds for lots of worthy causes.”

The knit and natter group at The One House thanked the sewing shop Kath’s Haberdashery in the Royal Arcade in Wigan town centre for supplying the elastic needed for the mass of masks at discounted costs.

Supporters also donated material for the face coverings to help get the project going.

At one point a family requested masks with poppies on for a funeral and they proved so popular that eventually some 650 were made, with the proceeds going to the Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal.

The One House member Jean Padgett also came up with the idea of doing poppy wreathes and 40 of those were created, swelling the fund-raising total further.

The knitters at the Haigh Road community hub have been extremely busy this year, creating rainbow designs including key rings.

They are currently making Christmas items which are being sold to buy the wool required for baby blankets for the hospitals in Wigan and Bolton.

Founded just over two years ago by Linda Hayes, the group is a major success for The One House and all involved have been astonished by just how many people it has been able to help.

Prior to lockdown the group met on Monday evenings and Friday mornings and it is open the sessions can restart in the New Year.

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