Resourceful local helps the NHS in Covid fight

Earlier this month Great British Bake-off contestant and Portsmouth local, Enwezor Nzegwu set-up a crowdfunding campaign to pay for material to make face shields for key workers. Enwezor wanted to get them made as fast as possible to help the fight against COVID-19. He discovered that if you had access to a laser cutting machine, you could cut out face shields in only about 45 seconds - if only you have the equipment and the money.

Thankfully Enwezor made contact with Seb Bagnall, from Etch Technologies, David Youngs, from Live Link Aerospace Technologies, Alan Gingell from Good Directions Ltd. and Richard Wilkins, who all offered their laser cutters & their staff at no cost to help produce face shields.

So far, over 6000 face shields have been manufactured and delivered to 109 establishments including, Care homes, adult social care, volunteer groups, GP surgeries, nursing groups, individual care workers, and the local maternity unit.

The crowdfunding campaign has raised over £12000 to pay for the material to make the face shields with some very generous donations - but this is the tip of the iceberg on what is needed.

Enwezor says 'This would not have been possible without the people who have come together to make this happen in a very short time - the funders, the manufacturers, the advocates, and the delivery drivers.'

Enwezor goes on to say, 'It's one of the hardest things I have ever done as I didn't really know what I was doing and had to learn as I went. It's all worth it though with the hundreds of messages of thanks, heart-warming stories and pictures that I have received'.

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