Clifton College community raises over £20,000 to create PPE for frontline and key workers

The Clifton College community has joined forces to help tackle the Coronavirus pandemic by making Personal Protective Equipment for frontline and key workers.

The College project team has produced over 2,000 visors so far for care home workers, hospices, local pharmacies and GP surgeries and the Caring in Bristol charity Housing the Homeless.

The Old Cliftonian Society – the school’s alumni association, and other supporters have raised more than £20,000 to pay for materials, and College staff have volunteered to make the equipment using the Design and Technology facilities.

Staff volunteers have also delivered the equipment to businesses across Bristol, Bath and North Somerset.

In addition, Old Cliftonian (OC) Max Osmond, of MSA Manufacturing in Wimborne, has provided a supply of pre-made visors and OC Piers Martin, of Originzone in Swindon, has provided 5,000 labels. Another business partner volunteer, Ben Whitwell, who runs Teklagraf Ltd in Weston-super-Mare, is also producing parts for the visors.

Clifton College’s Director of Development Jeremy Pickles, who helped coordinate the funding of the project, said: “We are very grateful for the fantastic response from OCs, staff and the local community. The project has just continued to grow to the point where we are now producing 200 visors a day, which is a great result.”

Head of College Dr Tim Greene said: “We are so pleased that we have been able to put the DT facilities to good use in this way and would like to thank everyone involved for all their efforts in helping to provide equipment for our inspiring frontline and key workers.”

• If you are a care home, pharmacy or other critical service in the Bristol, Bath or North Somerset area and would like to enquire about the PPE the college is producing please contact communityconnection@cliftoncollege.com