A local business has begun a campaign to call on businesses from Mansfield and Ashfield to donate unused personal protective equipment (PPE) to the NHS in the midst of the Coronavirus pandemic.
Having donated their own stocks to the East Midlands Ambulance Service, Martin Rigley MBE, MD of Lindhurst Engineering has issued a plea for other local businesses to do the same.
Items Needed
Amongst the items currently being sought are:
- Face masks FFP2 or FFP3 rated (the rating is marked on each mask.)
- Nitrile gloves
- Visors or goggles
- Disposable aprons or overalls
#PPE4NHS
Martin Rigley MBE, an Enterprise Adviser with Vision Studio School in Mansfield, has been Managing Director of Lindhurst Engineering for the past 25 years.
He is also Chairman of Discover Ashfield, a Board member of East Midlands Chamber, and received an MBE in the 2016 New Years Honours list for his services to Business & Innovation.
Rigley said, “Having worked in engineering and manufacturing for nearly 40 years, I know there will now be cupboards and storerooms in manufacturing, engineering, construction and science-based businesses, full of brand-new PPE.
“Our NHS desperately needs this PPE and, as a business community, we have a duty to get it to them, if possible, without putting people at risk.”
“Although we are currently only running this in Mansfield and Ashfield, if we can gather support in other areas to host a drop off centre and co-ordinate delivery times, there’s no reason why we can’t roll this out across the county or even nationwide.”
To avoid contact and maintain social distancing, Lindhurst has put a process in place where companies can book a drop off slot and deliver their donations to the Lindhurst offices at an allocated time without coming into contact with anyone.
Staff at Lindhurst will then load up and, at the end of each day, deliver the equipment to the designated NHS point of contact.
Those interested in making a donation or finding our more information should contact Lindhurst Commercial Director Simon Hawkins.
Businesses can also interact with the scheme on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin via the @PPE4NHS accounts.