Bracknell Forest schools have been getting behind the drive to supply hospital workers with more protective equipment.

This comes after the council rallied teachers to see if there was any spare accessories schools could spare.

Only hours after asking, more than 650 pairs of safety goggles, 600 aprons, boxes of masks and more than 2,000 over-shoe covers from schools around Bracknell Forest had been co-ordinated. 

The supplies have now been sent on to Frimley Park Hospital for staff who are treating coronavirus patients to use. 

Cllr Gareth Barnard, Executive Member for Children, Young People and Learning at Bracknell Forest Council, said: “I’m truly humbled by the fantastic efforts of the borough’s schools to support health workers during this challenging time.

“Despite working hard in unprecedented times and in some cases with a reduced workforce, school staff have really risen to the challenge and rallied together to support our healthcare system.

"I’d like to thank all Bracknell Forest schools for the enthusiasm and innovation they’ve shown in supporting the NHS – true community spirit!”

Fiona Slevin-Brown, from Frimley Health and Care Integrated Care System, said: “At a time of national emergency it is wonderful to see our local communities rallying around for health and care workers on the front line.

"Across local health and care organisations we have received such immense support and we have been really touched by the warmth and generosity from our community and we would like everyone to know how much it is appreciated.”

Other schools used their high-tech 3D printers to create safety visors and are beginning to make surgical scrubs using other design technology. 

Another two local boarding schools are giving up space at their sites to accommodate front line NHS staff who need to be away from their families. 

Bracknell MP James Sunderland told the News last week he had been in touch with local NHS providers about the availability of masks, gloves and eye protection equipment (PPE) and more.

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He said: "I think there’s enough PPE to go around but my fear here is they are using operational stocks and there may not be quite enough in the storerooms.

Bracknell News:

“I echo the sentiments of many of my colleagues in saying we need to do whatever it takes and whatever it costs to get PPE to all those who need it.

“Not just hospitals, but also in care homes, also those using it routinely as key workers and I’m sufficiently concerned by what I’m seeing in the media to think there may be a wider problem around the UK.

“But I know for a fact the government is spending a lot of money on it and they are cracking it pretty quickly.”

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Last week the News told how 3D printers were being used at a Warfield-based medical marketing agency to produce face masks for hard-working NHS heroes.

Several Wokingham borough schools have also joined in with face-mask production for the Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust.