ONLY HUMAN
MEET DONNA GURNEY
Donna has been sewing since the age of 16. It’s a skill that has helped her earn a living, own a business and create clothing to suit her own style.
But more recently, sewing has become something of a superpower for her purpose in life, her community and her own wellbeing. She tells us more…
Sewing has always been a big part of my life.
As a teenager, I learned to alter my own clothes and accessories. Even today I love it when someone asks where I bought an outfit and I can tell them I made it myself.
After leaving school, I trained as a tailor. I then went on to work in upholstery, soft furnishings, alterations and even specialised as a tailor for dolls. My tiny, bespoke outfits for ‘reborn’ dolls were shipped to customers worldwide.
After working for other people for years, I finally decided to take the plunge and set up my own business, Smampy’s Corner. And after lots of requests from customers, I started offering sewing lessons and workshops to share my knowledge.
That’s when the magic happened.
My classes attracted children aged seven right up to 80-year-olds. Before I knew it, we’d built something of a community. It was amazing to see. People talked about it as therapy.
I’m bipolar and dyslexic and I’m open about this when I meet people. I think this gives others the confidence to feel free to be themselves. They can sense that they are safe and accepted.
People who are nervous and anxious open up. Children who don’t normally talk have become little chatterboxes. It’s very empowering.
Then people began suggesting ways we could help the community with our sewing skills. It started when one student, who is an end-of-life nurse at St Teresa’s Hospice, asked me to help design a catheter bag cover.
By the next lesson, I had a pattern and had sewn up a few covers for the hospice to try. They were warmly received by the families of the patients. Those few little stitches gave a little dignity and brought a little comfort in times of need.
This got the ball rolling. It started small but quickly gathered momentum.
Soon, I had a group of volunteers and we were repurposing donated fabrics into all kinds of practical items designed to support patients during their most vulnerable moments.
Three of my students were recovering from breast cancer and had wonderful ideas for mastectomy recovery items such as bottle bags and breast cushions.
This new focus was brilliant for me because my brain just doesn’t switch off.
It’s always busy and often goes AWOL! Once I started, I couldn’t stop looking for solutions to problems people had in hospital, respite or palliative care. It kind of gives me an outlet for my energy.
With so much interest behind our work, I realised I needed to formalise things and set up a Community Interest Company (CIC) to move things forward. I set up Sew Happy to Help in May last year.
We moved to Business Central in Darlington at the end of last year and it feels like a lovely new chapter in my lifelong passion for sewing.
It’s amazing how much a few purposeful stitches can do: recycling, creating community, providing therapy and sharing a little bit of love.
About Sew Happy to Help
Sew Happy to Help is appealing for donations of bedding to be upcycled. Volunteers are also needed to help with projects and contributions to its fund raising.
To offer support, or buy one of Donna’s handcrafted creations, visit www.sewhappytohelp.co.uk