Staffordshire college manufactures and delivers PPE for local carers

Painsley Catholic College in Cheadle, north Staffordshire, has made and delivered over 100 protective face visors for carers in the local area.

The project was led by Jerry Watson (Head of Design and Technology) with the help of Hannah Gillespie (Art) and Jade Chell (Design and Technology).  

Whilst looking for materials Jerry found a company who sell materials to schools who also had a design for a laser cut face visor which he was able to download. He adapted the design to suit the college’s laser cutter and tweaked it to help it stay together better.

The materials were ordered in the Easter holidays and the staff arranged to come in to school on Thursday 23 April once the materials had arrived.  To make the visors, three parts need to be laser cut out of sheet polypropylene which is very tough but flexible. The clear visor is made from an A4 sheet of acetate which has two corners rounded with scissors and four holes created using a hole punch.  The staff set up a mini production line to cut, clean and assemble the masks producing 100 in three-and-half hours.

Jerry said: “I chose a laser cut design because I thought it would be a faster making process rather than using a 3D printer as some others have used.....we certainly got faster with practice. Huge credit must go to Kitronik who provided an excellent design to use and the computer files that I adapted.  Everyone has been very supportive and many people have offered to help. It doesn't feel like it's a big thing to have done but I am glad people have appreciated the visors. I look forward to producing more.

The visors have been delivered to Werrington Pharmacy; Ash Hall Nursing Home, Werrington; Werrington Co-Op; Holly Lodge Nursing Home, Bucknall and Elizabeth House Care Home, Werrington - with many recipients commenting on the high quality of the products.

The college has now received requests for over 100 more from Ermvale House Care Centre in Cheddleton; Tunstall Medical Centre; Church Terrace and Beech Lodge care Homes, Cheadle; Careers at J2 Independence in Newcastle-under-Lyme; Bradwell Nursing Home; Harewood Park Day Centre, Rowan Court, Newcastle-under-Lyme and plans to make these next week when more materials arrive.

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