Companies across Norfolk, including Lotus and Norwich City Football Club, are now supporting one school’s efforts to manufacture and distribute visors to key workers.
Over the last fortnight, staff at Norwich School and the wider local community have come together, sourcing raw materials, funding, and assistance with manufacturing and distribution, to provide thousands of pieces of much needed personal protective equipment (PPE) to hospices, nursing homes, hospitals and other organisations across Norfolk and beyond.
In total approximately over 30 local organisations have benefitted from some of the 3,600 face shields that have been produced at Norwich School, with more set to be included this week. Recipients include the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital, (as well as hospitals in Essex and London), St John Ambulance, dozens of GP surgeries, as well as nursing and care homes across Norfolk, where the need is considered to be increasingly significant.
News of the school’s work spread, with other healthcare settings requesting support. Thankfully, major local players have stepped in to lend a hand, Lotus with the cutting of visors and Norwich City Football Club assisting with distribution. Production has therefore been scaled up, enabling the school to make 3000 more visors this week.
Matt Windle, Executive Director, Engineering (Lotus Cars) commented:
“Lotus' team of staff have been coming forward over the last few weeks offering to volunteer and support the fight against Covid-19 in any way they can. Working with the school, we have managed to significantly increase the production rates. I'd like to thank our team of volunteers for giving up their Easter weekend to do this. 2000 were produced over the weekend, with more on the way."
Ed Cann, the art and design teacher who originally set up the initiative to manufacture face shields, said:
“This has been an amazing team effort. In addition to the 3,600 we have already produced, we are now making in excess of 300 visors per day and thanks to support from local businesses, this will now increase further. Special thanks need to go to Lotus and BD&H Ltd for assisting with the cutting and production of materials, along with Thompsons Packaging Ltd for supplying boxes, Meridien Office Supplies for donating materials and also to Norwich City Football Club for their delivery service.
"It is amazing to see the breadth of local businesses coming together to work with Norwich School in supplying the vital PPE to the NHS and other key service providers at this time.”
Libby Pearson, a GP from London, whose surgery in Fulham received several of the face shields, said:
“The Norwich school masks arrived and they are fabulous. So easy to put together and easy to adjust for all size heads! My nurse, Samantha Trundley [pictured], put it on immediately and combined with the mask, apron and gloves she feels so much safer.
“We saw an old man last Friday for a blood test (he was clinically completely well) and it came back on Monday very abnormal. Tests have now shown he has Covid-19 so you just can’t tell. We need to be wearing this for seeing everyone as even well people are spreading the virus. It really will make such a difference and we are so grateful.”
Norwich School are expecting to deliver PPE to another five hospitals as well as several other surgeries before the school resumes term next week.
Notes
The full list of organisations who have received face shields manufactured by Norwich School can be found below:
Norfolk
NNUH A&E
NNUH
Lawson Road Surgery
Norfolk Hospice
Care Home (NR7)
Long Stratton Surgery
Loddon Surgery
Pulham Market Surgery
Harleston Surgery
Poringland surgery
Diss Surgery
Norwich Practices (Walk in Centre)
Lakenham Surgery
Lionwood Medical Practice
St Stephensgate Medical Practice
Bacon Road Medical Centre
West Pottergate Medical Practice
Coastal Practice (Old Palace)
Prospect Medical Practice
Oak Street Medical Practice
Woodcock Road Surgery
Magdalen Medical Practice
Castle Partnership (Mile End)
Magdalen Road Pharmacy
UEA Medical Centre
Kent COVID Ward
Abbeyfields Retirement Home
Roundwell Medical Centre
Wensum Valley Medical Practice
Trinity & Bowthorpe Med Practice (Bowthorpe)
Hellesdon Medical Practice
Old Catton Medical Practice
East Norwich Medical Centre
Thorpewood Med Grp (Thorpewood)
Taverham Partnership
St Johns Ambulance
Carlton Court Hospital
Chet valley Medical Practice
Corton House
The Park Surgery (Great Yarmouth)
Blofield surgery
Paston Surgery
Beauchamp House
Brooklands Care Home
Mattishall Surgery
Tuckswood surgery
Other
Royal Free Hospital London
Barn Close Surgery Worcestershire
Elizabeth Pearson (GP London)
Colchester Hospital
To be delivered
Julian Hospital
Hellesdon Hospital
Colman Hospital
Hinchingbrooke Hospital
James Paget
Elmham Surgery
Hoveton and Wroxham Medical Centre
North London Hospice
Barnett Hospital
Aberdeen Care home (RAB)