Sharon Cunningham 

A DRESS designer from West Hampstead is showing people how to make face masks.

Sharon Cunningham is making 100 cotton masks a day at her home amid a shortage of suppliers.

Scientific debate has been ongoing about the effectiveness of masks but they have been used to reduce the number of droplets from coughs and sneezes in the air.

“Last night I couldn’t sleep thinking about the nurses who do not have masks,” she said. “We wouldn’t send a soldier into the front line without equipment so I don’t know why this is happening to our NHS staff.

“It shouldn’t be happening. It really upsets me.”

Sharon Cunningham

She has been using her children’s old duvet covers and a sewing machine to make the masks.

“This is a small drop in the ocean but if it helps at least one person, then great,” said Ms Cunningham.

“I can sew – it is one of the things I can do. It is very different to what I do normally but that’s ok. It’s fairly straightforward and people could do it at home.”

It takes Ms Cunningham, who has been designing dresses for the last 25 years, 15 minutes to make one mask.

“I hope it could help offer some protection and prevent people from touching their face,” she said.

“The best thing is they can be reused and washed in the evening after a day’s wear.”

For more information go to https://www.instagram.com/sharoncunninghamdesigner/