Feature image credit: The University of Stirling
If you feel like you are experiencing any Coronavirus symptoms, please follow the advice from the National Health Service – found here and NHS Inform. Save Lives, Stay at Home.
The University of Stirling has donated two 3D printers along with lending another two, to Larbert High School in the fight against Coronavirus.
This comes after staff at Larbert High School began to help produce personal protective equipment (PPE) for healthcare workers.
The 3D printers which have been given and loaned to the local high school will be used to help make PPE for healthcare workers fighting COVID-19.
On top of the 3D printers, 20 rolls of plastic filament has been donated to make the equipment.
Rebecca Elliott, a technology and design teacher is leading the project and working along side colleagues Stefan Slater and Mhairi McAinsh, and with other members of staff from both the art and design and technology departments.
Larbert High School staff with the gifted equipment – Mandy Brown, Stefan Slater, Mhairi McAinsh, and Rebecca Elliott
Elliott said:
“Since this began, we have engaged a wide range of stakeholders and other local institutions to join in the community effort – and the response we have received has been amazing.
“The feedback from health professionals has been overwhelmingly positive, with people telling is that staff are feeling much safer in the workplace.”
“The University of Stirling’s donations will help us to increase capability and production quantity – we are thankful for this donation.
“The equipment is currently being used for face visors, however, this could lead to further PPE initiatives for hospitals and other healthcare settings.”
The team are managing to produce around four face visors every 20 minutes and they have already managed to produce more than 2,500 visors.
This came after Professor Leigh Sparks, Deputy Principal (Education and Students), along with Richard Aird, Head of Customer Service heard what the high school were doing and got in touch to offer the school the universities equipment to help out.
Professor Sparks said:
“This is a challenging time for everyone, however, it is great to see communities come together to help one another through this crisis.
“At the University of Stirling, we are proud of our ethos that encourages staff, students and alumni to make a difference – and we are delighted to see the same values run strong across Forth Valley.
“The phenomenal efforts of staff at Larbert High in helping to protect our frontline workers is commendable – and we are pleased to be able to support this important work through the donation of 3D printers and filament. We wish the team all the best as their initiative continues.”
Sparks added, “The University sends its thoughts and wishes to all of those who have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic – and to all of those frontline key workers helping to protect us from harm.”
The PPE is being produced to help frontline healthcare workers all across the board. Pharmacist Jonathon Burton, who runs the Right Medicine Pharmacy on the university campus is just one of the healthcare workers to benefit from this.
Burton said: “We heard that Larbert High started to produce this equipment – so we put in an order, and it arrived today. The masks are good quality and they will provide our staff with important protection in their interactions with patients.”
“We are hugely grateful to the staff at the school for helping frontline workers in the battle against COVID-19 – and it’s great to hear that the University has also thrown its support behind the initiative with the donation of these 3D printers.”
The staff and everyone involved aim to ramp up the initiative in the coming weeks.
If you feel like you are experiencing any Coronavirus symptoms, please follow the advice from the National Health Service – found here and NHS Inform. Save Lives, Stay at Home.
Good job to all involved! Thank you for writing this Ben!