A bridal boutique has swapped wedding dresses for scrubs during the lockdown period and sewed a number of sets of uniforms for health staff at Macclesfield Hospital.

7th Heaven Bridal, in Congleton, has not reopened since Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the country's lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic on 23rd March, but while their doors remained closed, they turned their efforts to help the NHS.

However, after 7th Heaven's seamstress Carolyn Green made scrubs from bed duvets for brides who had acquired their dream dress ahead of the big day from the Congleton store, owner Helen Allen wanted to help her friend who worked at the hospital after being told that there was a shortage of scrubs.

Helen and her friend Lesley, who works as an ophthalmic theatre sister at Macclesfield Hospital and lives in Congleton, both regularly attended Machin Exercise Studio Congleton before lockdown was implemented and gyms were told to close.

Mrs Allen asked the "close-knit" group of members from the Machin gym at the start of April to rally together and financially contribute to aid 7th Heaven's need to purchase a large volume of fabric to make the scrubs for Macclesfield Hospital.

Mrs Allen told Nub News: "Everyone at the gym was great and they knew it was for an important cause. Getting the money together quickly enabled us to order the fabric we needed online and start the process."

Within a week of getting the material, production was started and alongside seamstress Mrs Green and a couple of scrubs being made by Helen's mum, the small manufacturing team have produced three batches of scrubs, which have all been taken to Macclesfield Hospital by Lesley, for herself and colleagues.

Mrs Allen added: "The scrubs have been gratefully received and with so many people in the community enquiring how they can support our efforts we ask they join us in supporting The Christie at Macclesfield.

"Delays in screening, investigation and treatment mean that for many reasons people aren't able to go to hospital or are delayed because of Covid–19.

"These delays in healthcare are going to be the long-term risk to health."

The Christie Charity is aiming to raise £23 million for the proposed construction of a new centre in Macclesfield where Christie patients will be able to receive outstanding cancer care, closer to home for both Macclesfield and Congleton residents.

A JustGiving page has been set up by Mrs Allen to raise money for the Macclesfield Christie hospital and the total raised so far stands at £464. You can donate here.

Mrs Green has not stopped there though, she has made scrubs for NHS staff at Wythenshawe Covid-19 ward, Manchester, Liverpool and Congleton War Memorial Hospitals by herself.

Helen told Nub News that she hopes to reopen 7th Heaven Bridal's doors in July and has used the lockdown period to implement new systems with customers and staff both being near to one and other.

Mrs Allen added: "We've streamlined our appointment software to ensure that there isn't a lot of customers in our boutique at one time. We've also got iPads in place for customers to use to prevent touching where we can, but we also want to provide an experience."

You can keep up to date with 7th Heaven Bridal via their Facebook page.