Reminiscent of a wartime effort, schools across Havering are pulling together to create and donate PPE (personal protective equipment) as NHS staff continue to report grave shortages.
Inspired by design technology (DT) teachers, across the country springing into action, two DT teachers from Upminster’s Sacred Heart of Mary Girls’ School have made a batch of 35 face shields which they gave out to GP surgeries, a pharmacy and a funeral directors.
The shields are not certified PPE, but this is made clear on reception and samples have also been given to be approved.
Subject leader for DT, Lee Doe, who worked with her technician Samantha Cadman, said: “We always state that if official PPE is available, they should use it, but so many people have absolutely nothing, and people are so scared.
“We just used materials we had in stock for pupil projects. We made them in the workshop but tried to work as cleanly as possible.”
With orders to receive more materials in place, the pair plan to make more batches to give out to Saint Francis Hospice which is in desperate need of PPE as well as more GPs and pharmacies.
Redden Court School in Harold Wood has also risen to the challenge.
Not only are they creating 20 shields an hour to go to Queen’s Hospital from their DT super team, it has donated 200 science goggles also to be used by frontliners in hospitals.
Emerson Park Academy has also said it is collecting gloves and goggles also to be delivered to Queen’s.
It comes after Havering Council made an “urgent request” on Wednesday calling for borough’s businesses – including nail bars, beauty salons, builders, decorators, tattooists and cleaning companies – for vital equipment to help the fight against coronavirus.
Leader of Havering Council, councillor Damian White, said: “This an urgent call to our businesses using PPE as part of our borough’s joint response to a care crisis caused by this awful virus.
“We must get all available equipment that might be sitting in your store cupboard out to our Havering Heroes so I’m asking businesses to join the fight with us and donate or sell to us at cost price what they have.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here