Dronfield school makes protective equipment for frontline NHS staff

Dronfield Henry Fanshawe School is in the process of making face shields for health care workers using 3D printing technology they have on-site.

They were asked to make 300 masks by Victoria Webb from Killamarsh Medical Practice, who wanted them for her staff and other NHS workers in north east Derbyshire.

But the school now thinks it can produce even more of the life-saving pieces of equipment, and hopes to distribute them right across the region.

Henry Fanshawe headteacher, Martyn Cooper, said they were only too happy to get involved.

He said: “They originally asked for 300 but we reckon we can actually churn out quite a lot of them. A member of staff’s partner works at Rotherham Hospital so we will be sending some there as well.

“It is a cracking piece of kit and the students love using it. All the plastic has been sourced from local companies and we are making them up today.”

The school is currently running on just six teaching staff and has between eight and 23 students attending each day.

The first batch of face visors were ready today, and other staff members are also busy making medical scrubs which will be sent to doctors and nurses in hospitals.

The visors were requested by Victoria Webb, a business manager at Killamarsh Medical Practice and North East Derbyshire Primary Care Network, who also sends her children to the school.

She said: “I called them just after 7am on Wednesday morning and by 3pm they had replied saying they would love to help.

“Our staff are really happy they will be getting this PPE and it is fantastic and really humbling that people can work together like this.”

“These things are in short supply so to be able to get hold of some ourselves has been amazing.”

Henry Fanshawe is believed to be the third school near Sheffield which is producing PPE for the health service along with Bradfield and Tapton.