A guesthouse owner has been sewing face masks to raise money for her local lifeboat crew.
Sandy Duff-Dick, who runs the Rosamaly Guesthouse in Hunstanton with her husband Bob, has made hundreds of masks since lockdown began.
The couple attended a training session at the RNLI boathouse in Hunstanton to present the crew with a cheque for £500 and a box of masks to wear on board their boat or hovercraft.
Crew member Josh Haycock - Mrs Duff-Dick’s grandson - accepted the gifts on behalf of the station, whose life-saving work is funded entirely by donations.
Paul Stewart, the crew’s deputy launch authority, said: “It’s so important and it’s fantastic people do things like this for us.”
The crew has launched 40 times since lockdown. Social distancing is not possible on either of its vessels, putting those on board at even greater risk when they go to sea to save lives.
Mrs Duff-Dick began making masks for friends and family who needed PPE, which was in short supply during the early stages of the pandemic.
“By May we realised there was a need for face masks we decided to sell them and launched Hunstanton Face Masks,” she said.
“We have helped to mask the whole of Hunstanton and surrounding villages and have had so much appreciation and thanks from locals and many local businesses and care homes.”
Mrs Duff-Dick said the hours spent at her sewing machine had been “worthwhile and rewarding”.
She added: “We would like the Hunstanton lifeboat to receive the proceeds of our venture as we feel it is so very well deserved for all their dedicated work and voluntary time they put in to save lives and keep us all safe.”
Mrs Duff-Dick is currently making Hallowe’en-themed masks, before starting on Christmas designs.
“As we are to wear face masks for the foreseeable future it’s much nicer wearing something on your face that’s personalised it’s almost become a fashion accessory,” she said.
Hunstanton Face Masks can be found on Facebook or contacted via 07585 938726.
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