CARE workers at a Coventry supported housing scheme have praised a local school for a rapid delivery of essential PPE.
Tracey Hutchinson, team leader at Bevan Court for care provider Making Space, said within four hours of receiving her message on Facebook, staff from King Henry VIII school phoned to say her order was ready for collection.
Tracey manages a team of 25 support workers at the Cheylesmore scheme, which has tenants aged from 56-104. She said that she had tried unsuccessfully for weeks to source protective equipment including face shields from health and care suppliers around the UK.
After receiving her initial batch of 25 perspex visors for support workers from the school, Tracey has now ordered a further 20 for cleaners, scheme assistants and kitchen staff.
Bevan Court is managed by housing organisation Midland Heart provides 42 self contained apartments, 30 of which have round the clock care offered by adult health and social care charity Making Space. Tenants of the scheme live with a number of health conditions including dementia.
Tracey said: “I had drawn a blank in my search for PPE for staff, with suppliers telling me they had no stock and I would have to wait for weeks.
“But when I read about a school just five minutes down the road from us using their design technology studio to make face shields, I contacted them right away.
“I couldn’t believe it when I received a call just four hours later saying they were ready for collection.
“We are in awe of what they are doing and are incredibly grateful.
“Social care is a difficult job at the best of times and the additional strain on all of our staff at the moment is through the roof. It has given them some reassurance that they are now better protected themselves and less likely to pass the virus on to the scheme’s tenants if they do become ill.”
Stuart Sweetman, head of design & technology at the school said: “King Henry VIII School is so happy to be supporting the local community in this way. We have busy times ahead but we are just doing what we can to help support the real key workers.
“All this has been made possible by the generosity of parents and the wider community who donated money for materials. The teams have also been supported by Coventry Building Society and Ricoh, with Telent helping to source and donate materials through Antalis to keep the production going.
“A new phase is about to start through a collaboration with Amtico flooring and Frederick Cooper. Since both are capable of manufacturing far more units, production is being subcontracted to them, whilst the team continue to assemble and distribute. Our current total is well over 7,000 shields.”
The school is no longer raising funds for materials, but needs help to source PVC sheets that are 250 microns thick. Anyone who can help is asked to contact the school at [email protected]
