A SPORTSWEAR company in Kidderminster is making scrubs for workers on the frontline of the coronavirus crisis after receiving a generous donation from Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant.

The rockstar has donated thousands of pounds to MG Sportswear, based in The Horsefair, which will go towards making hundreds of sets of scrubs for healthcare workers across the region.

MG, which usually manufactures uniforms for schools, sports teams and airlines, was forced to halt production and furlough staff due to the covid-19 crisis.

Business manager Kim Calder told The Shuttle: "Normally at this time of year, we would be busy supplying clothing for school and sporting tours but all these events have been cancelled or postponed so the factory was in shutdown.

"Meanwhile every night we heard the stories of shortage of scrubs for frontline hospital workers due to the increase in demand and the need to change them more frequently.

"Our company director Gino Ruffinato was saddened that we had the capacity to supply but not the supply chain or - in the current climate - the funds to get the fabric needed as it was so different to the sportswear fabrics we normally use."

Gino approached local businesses, including The Old Waggon and Horses in Bewdley, which donated £1,000, and set up a Go Fund Me page to raise money towards materials.

Within 48 hours, the team had raised enough cash to order the fabrics needed and start production.

The Kidderminster factory is in the process of making scrubs for staff at Russells Hall Hospital, Worcestershire Acute NHS Hospitals Trust including Kidderminster Hospital, St Richard's Hospice in Worcester and New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton.

Kim added: "We are currently in the middle of producing around 1,000 sets of scrubs for local NHS trusts and a local care home but we need to order more cloth.

"We have just received a generous donation from Robert Plant that ensures we can continue to get fabric but with some of our workers needing to self-isolate and just to be able to get the garments out quickly we could do with local stitchers services if possible.

"Other people making scrubs locally seem to be struggling with getting the patterns and cutting the garments but that is something we are able to do on mass. However stitching the garments or even a section of the garment would be a massive help."

MG is aiming to produce between 300 and 500 sets of scrubs each week and has already received more than £2,000 in donations through its Go Fund Me page.

Robert Plant said: "We’re all in our own vacuums within our own homes feeling relatively safe, so I’m pleased to be able to support the work that these good people are doing for our frontline nurses, doctors, carers etc. in providing much needed scrubs and masks.

"It would be great for them to get more support and funds ensuring they can carry on making what is needed."

To donate towards materials, go to gofundme.com/f/no-scrubs.