Wakefield school craft hundreds of masks and scrubs for key workers

Teachers at Wakefield Girls' High School have made use of their extra time during lockdown to produce almost 300 masks for frontline health workers, and are now sewing sets of scrubs for hospital staff.

Brent Carlin, head of Design and Technology at the school, has used the school's laser cutter to produce 290 visors, which are then assembled and distributed to key workers at Hospices and Care Homes across Wakefield.

He said: "Each individual visor takes about a maximum of 5 minutes to manufacture. The visor is made from 2 different materials (clear PVC/acetate for the screen and 0.8mm polypropylene for the head band parts).

"Polypropylene is an excellent choice because it offers exceptional chemical resistance, which aids cleaning, and at the same time is incredibly tough yet flexible."

Mr Carlin is also accepting donations of material to help with the project.

Meanwhile, a team of teachers have launched a virtual 'Scrub Hub', focusing on making scrubs for staff at Pinderfields Hospital using donated material.

Working with Volunteer Manager Gwen Shackleton at the hospital, textiles teacher Elizabeth Maher has adapted a sewing pattern to match the scrubs worn by NHS staff.

She said: "Thanks to the generosity of our community for their donations enabling us to buy the fabric needed. We will be sewing from home as well as the Textiles classroom in school.

"We want to help as much as possible."

Working with fellow staff Natalie Phillips, Emma Critch and Sandy George, Mrs Maher has also set pupils the optional task of creating drawstring bags in which to carry the scrubs, as well as headbands to hold face masks and knitted hears to give to patients and family members.

One year 13 pupil has already produced more than 30 scrub bags.

Headteacher, Ms Boyes, said: "I am extremely proud of everyone in our community. It is always important to make the best use of our resources and I am delighted to see how this is currently happening at Wakefield Girls' High School.

"We know that PPE is in short supply at the moment and I'm delighted we are able to use resources in school and expertise of dedicated teachers like Mr Carlin and Mrs Maher to help as much as we can.

"I'm delighted we have been able to help our hospices in Wakefield and Barnsley, as well as Pinderfields Hospital and a local care home and pharmacy.

“Everyone in school is doing their bit to support our community as much as we can.”