COMMUNITES are rallying together to make vital protective equipment for NHS staff and carers in Dudley, amid concerns a national lack of supplies are risking the lives of key workers on the frontline in the fight against COVID-19.

Staff in schools in Dudley and Halesowen have come up with creative ways to produce face visors by repurposing departments and school supplies to get the job done.

Design and Technology staff at Leasowes High School in Halesowen have manufactured and delivered more than 600 face visors in four days over the past week, with many more requests flooding in.

The vital kit has been distributed to Russell’s Hall Hospital, Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospital Trust, City Hospital Maternity Ward, along with district nurses, care homes, pharmacies and medical centres across the Black Country.

Stuart Chatterton, Design and Technology curriculum manager at the school, said: “Due to the shortage of PPE nationwide for NHS staff and key workers, we feel fortunate we have the material, manufacturing facilities and skilled staff with a passion to support our local community and as a team we will do all we can to manufacture as many as possible. We have been overwhelmed with the support of the parents, workers and general public at this difficult time.”

The visor frames are made using 2D design software and a laser cutter but in an ingenious twist, the headbands have been repurposed from A3 coursework folders with each recycled folder contributing to six visors.

Meanwhile, a team at Ellowes Hall Sports College in Lower Gornal have so far made 101 masks for care homes in Dudley and Gornal and 40 for Russells Hall Hospital- all since Tuesday, April 14.

A Go Fund Me page has already raised £600 in a couple of days to help fund materials, with plans to increase production to 1,500 to reach more people.

Organisers say any extra money left over will be donated the national COVID-19 Relief Fund.

Dan Moore, an IT technician at the school who started the project with a laser cutter, said: "It's nice that we live in a community that supports each other, I have been blown away by how generous people have been."

The efforts come as the Dudley Labour Group have launched a petition calling on national government to ensure all key workers in Dudley get enough quality PPE.

Councillor Cathryn Bayton, the group’s health and social care chief, is backing the petition and said she is grateful to schools and business in providing kit, but added the borough should not have been placed in the position where such efforts are needed.

She said: “We launched the petition last week when Dudley Council’s order was delayed. Since then we have had deliveries on Friday and Saturday. We got what we ordered but now the issue is how to keep a consistent flow and get regular deliveries of kit that is fit for purpose.”

Cllr Bayton is particularly concerned about the plight of unofficial carers across the borough who are not protected when caring for friends and family and private care homes that are looking to the council for help.

She said Dudley Council is doing the best it can under the circumstances and councillors are working cross-party to ask MPs to put pressure on national government to ramp up supplies.

Cllr Bayton added: “The issue of PPE is going to be around for a long time to come, the government needs to a get a grip on it."