Melbourne mask making volunteer project

We are a group of community volunteers  from Melbourne and Country Victoria who are trying to make masks for health workers and other public servants at risk of contracting COVID 19. We sew masks based on an innovative design made by the University of Florida. At the early stages of the COVID 19 outbreak in Australia, grave concerns were expressed by the Australia medical community about critical shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE). Around the same time, Dr Bruce Spiess, A Professor of Anesthesiology at the University of Florida, USA, published a method of using a unique surgical sterilization packaging fabric to make masks. The fabric used was found to be suitable for this purpose due to its high filtration efficiency. The design used to sew the mask provides a superior seal to that of a simple surgical mask. Dr Spiess and his team have published detailed instructions for the production of their design. We have formed a group of volunteers with sewing experience and are trying to make masks for the use of interested doctors, nurses and other health personnel in Victoria.  Ultimately, once all interested people have received masks, our ultimate goal is to be able to create enough masks for the community as well, in order to slow the spread of COVID19 in Australia. Any donations we receive will be directly used to fund the purchase of fabric, wire, cutting templates, polypropylene thread and other essential material for mask making, as well as fuel for those who are currently working tirelessly to deliver material to the volunteers who live too far away to come and pick material up. It will also be used to cover postage, fuel and delivery fees to far away clinics and workers asking for masks.  We are a volunteer organisation and are not looking to make a profit. Any surplus funds will be returned to donors or donated to other COVID19 related causes, depending on donor preference.