Old Collegian Steps Up to Support Healthcare Workers

Fashion retailer and St John’s Old Collegian, Sarah Timmerman nee Forsyth (class of 2003), is an old-hand at eCommerce. So when she heard that healthcare workers were facing a shortage of basic protective supplies, she launched an online store to meet their needs.

It was mid-March when Sarah Timmerman’s sister, a junior doctor at a clinic, lamented the shortage of personal protection equipment (PPE) for healthcare workers. By that time, the number of COVID-19 cases was slowly climbing in Australia and the nation was preparing for an imminent lockdown.

Sarah was concerned that front line workers could be entering high-risk workplaces without adequate protection. So she decided to take matters into her own hands. For most people, this would mean putting a call out on social media for public contributions or connections. For Sarah, the CEO and founder of Beginning Boutique, it meant setting up a full-blown online store.

AU Medic Supply launched in early April with basic protective supplies, including face masks, gloves, face shields and hand sanitiser.

“It started out as a need to do something for my sister and then expanded to a wider basis,” Sarah says. “Our normal face masks are sold out and our isolation gowns were snapped up on the same day we got them. The demand comes in waves. At first the orders were mainly from medical professionals and the general public but we’re now seeing new demand from beauticians who are preparing to reopen their business. We’re also looking to supply our products to businesses.”

Read the full story of Sarah’s successful online business here –
auspost.com.au/business/business-ideas/business-stories/au-medic-supply
Story credit: Stephanie Sta Maria
Photo credit: Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels