Coronavirus: Shropshire 3D printers join forces to supply vital PPE
Hundreds of vital protective face shields have been created by individuals using 3D printers throughout Shropshire.
The group, 3DCrowd UK, has galvanised more than 8,000 people across the country who are working to make face shields for NHS staff battling to reduce the spread of coronavirus.
What started as a nationwide initiative has moved regionally and Rich Barker, who works for Capgemini in Telford, is the coordinator of the Shropshire Hub – which has volunteers creating equipment in Telford, Shifnal, Bridgnorth, Shrewsbury, Oswestry, Church Stretton and Wem.
The team has so far delivered more than 600 protective face shields to organisations throughout the county, including in Shrewsbury, Oswestry, Telford, Whitchurch, Much Wenlock and Bridgnorth.
Mr Barker said he first heard about the scheme expanding across the country before getting involved himself. He now manages the supply and demand of PPE, the collection from volunteers and the delivery to health workers throughout Shropshire.
"At Capgemini we have a couple of 3D printers and with the help of our senior architect, Les Frost, I obtained agreement to put our 3D printers to use for this purpose, and registered with the 3D Crowd website to take part in this initiative," he said.
"After joining the 3D Crowd community, I was asked to become the local coordinator for Shropshire, which involved managing the supply and demand, the collection from individual printing volunteers, and the delivery of the finished product to the organisation in need. We have around 50 volunteers across all of Shropshire producing the necessary printed frames at home, and more volunteers who collect these printed frames and take them to our distribution hub in Shrewsbury for quality control, the addition of a visor and elastic, packaging, and finally distribution."
"Tom Jones and Rhys Johnson from Aeon Omega operate this hub,and make deliveries to the organisations in need, together with the volunteer organisation Visor Bikes which were formed less than three weeks ago by a number of individuals who are already familiar with the needs of the NHS through their voluntary roles within the Blood Bike community."
In its first couple of weeks of operating at a regional level, the home printers spread throughout the county have produced 600 frames which have been assembled and delivered to Overley Hall Special School, Wellington Medical Practice and Woodhall Support Services in Telford; Bridgnorth Medical Practice; Abbey Care Direct, Marysville Medical Practice, Elmhurst Nursing Home, Affinity Care, Allied Healthcare and Ottley Nursing Home in Shrewsbury; Woodland Residential Home, Hengoed Park Residential and Allenby Douglas Care Services Ltd in Oswestry; Wheatlands Care Home in Much Wenlock; Llanfair Caereinion District Nurses and Bradbury Care Centre in Whitchurch.
The group predicts it will reach the milestone of 1000 deliveries across Shropshire within the next week.
An additional 600 shields have also been delivered to Veraty Care Solutions in Shrewsbury and LJ Care Ltd in Telford via 3DCrowd's Wolverhampton hub.
An online fundraisers aiding the operation, which has so far raised more than £130,000, is available at gofundme.com/f/3dcrowd-emergency-3d-printed-face-shields
