AN OSWESTRY knitting group has now made and donated more than 12,000 mask bands to the NHS and local care homes.

The Sticks Chicks have been making the bands, which help to stop personal protective equipment like masks and visors rubbing behind the ears of doctors, nurses and carers, since April.

With more than 180 members at the start of April contributing to the effort, they have been able to provide thousands of bands to the NHS, local nursing homes and also to community carers working across the county.

The group has also almost completed another project making a seven-foot square Covid-19 memorial display of forgetmenots.

Once it is complete, it will be displayed at the park gates in the town from Friday, July 10.

The group will also be helping out another cause with its display.

Kimberley Coldwell, who runs the group, said: “Because the forget me not flower is also the symbol for dementia, once the display is removed from the park gates, it will be reassembled into smaller pieces and donated to dementia units across the town.