A costume designer from Putney has been dubbed one of three national 'Sewing Heroes' for her incredible efforts to support frontline health workers during the pandemic.

Rosie Taylor-Davies was one of three people to receive special honours at a recent ceremony in London after a nationwide search by Singer Sewing Machines for people who've supported their communities during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

Rosie received the 'Sewing Hero' accolade alongside Louise Drakes and Naomi Betts, with all three sharing lunch with 'Great British Sewing Bee' Host Patrick Grant recently.

Rosie's daughter and son in law are both junior doctors, and she was acutely aware of the pressures they were under, in particular in relation to resources like scrubs, as the pandemic swept through the UK during the first wave last year.

Taking a step back from her PhD and own business, the Putney designer used £1500 of her own money to found The Scrubbery, bringing over 200 volunteers together to make NHS workers clothing for the frontlines of the pandemic.

Featuring her very own designs, demand for The Scrubbery produce ramped up and they eventually supplied every London NHS Trust.

"The Scrubbery has been about more than just providing scrubs," Rosie said. "Many of the people who have volunteered to sew are people who were shielding, unable to see friends and family and who have been given something productive to do and a reason to connect with other like-minded people. It’s helped all of us to help others."

She added: "Almost all standard scrubs are made abroad and costs as well as transportation times have been steadily increasing. Lead times can now be anywhere up to ten weeks, and I’m determined to push on until we can find a sustainable, domestic solution to the scrubs issue to ensure that it won’t be a problem going forward."

Rosie has meanwhile also helped make items for Age UK, Regenerate Rise and Glass Door homeless charity. She is now producing 'well-being' bags - drawstring bags that are being individually cut from up-cycled fabric, sewn, then filled with donated treats and goodies, and sent out to frontline NHS staff as a thank you and in the hope of lifting their morale

"The stories of these three sewers are inspirational and reflect the enormous contribution that amateur sewers around the country have made to their local NHS and to help their neighbours through successive lockdowns during the pandemic," Patrick Grant said. "It’s not an exaggeration for Singer to call Louise, Rosie and Naomi heroes and their local communities as well as the whole sewing community should be very proud of them and all of the other amazing nominees."