THE community has rallied round to make more than 2,000 face masks for care homes during the coronavirus crisis.

Members of the Braintree Lions Club, Rayne WI and Braintree Bowls club all helped with the production of masks which were dished out to homes throughout the district.

The project was set up in April by Olive Hawkins whose offer to provide PPE for care homes was taken up by nearly every single one.

She began making masks out of sheets, shirts and pillowcases but soon realised the demand meant she would need to ramp up production.

She enlisted the help of husband Eddie and members of community groups to ensure care homes were provided with some form of face covering.

A total of 2,175 masks were made by the volunteers and 21 care homes all received help from them at some point throughout the last four months.

Mrs Hawkins was handed a certificate of appreciation by the Lions Club for organising the initiative.

The club’s vice president Andy Beatty said: “It’s good to see everyone within these three organisations working so well together on such a vital project to help keep people safer during this pandemic.”