What do you do to fill your days when you are a furloughed tennis coach, used to being on court every day and evening? The answer for one Co. Durham coach was easy, put your 3D printer to use, when not making tennis racquet parts, why not have a go at making face masks for front line workers in care homes and surgeries who are struggling to get hold of personal protective equipment.

Sam Stokoe, who is employed by DCTP and is the Head Coach at Framwellgate Moor, Chilton, Bishop Auckland and Lanchester Tennis Clubs heard of the problems currently being experienced in G.P. surgeries and care homes from his aunt who is a retired nurse practitioner, now back working to help the increased demand on the N.H.S. so he decided to do something about it. Sam set to, to make some masks for a G.P. surgery, word soon spread and he has now made over 500 masks which have been distributed to GP.s and care homes from Newcastle to Bishop Auckland.

After a Facebook appeal for acetate sheets and plastic ribbon for 3D printers, Sam also received numerous donations of materials from businesses and also residents in the Consett area, including one from Bishop Ian Ramsey Primary School in Medomsley. Two more local printers have also come forward and offered to help out. Sam bought a second printer and was able to purchase materials and resources after a donation of £500 from Karbon Homes, which has enabled him to deliver this vital PPE for free. Derwentside Glass have also provided new glass beds for Sam’s machines – such great community spirit!

We now need to buy more materials to meet the demand from frontline staff!!

Thank you for all your support!!

UPDATE**

We have distributed over 2000 face shields to front line workers across the area are including Care Homes, Frontline Charities and Home Care Workers. We have also supplied GP practices as well as Pharmacies and Home Nurses.

We have been working in partnership with three Charities, The Cornforth Partnership, DELTA North School and SHAID in Stanley to help us distribute the masks to those organisations who need them. The funding has been used to provide vital materials for our volunteers to produce these shields and to date have purchased over £2500 worth of 3D printing materials as well as £1000 worth of acetate sheets that form the masks. We have also secured funding to purchase more 3D printers that we will be donating to local primary schools when the project comes to an end.

For more information visit

https://www.facebook.com/KO3DPrinting

https://www.facebook.com/SHAID.Ltd/

https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/18453672.charity-makes-protective-face-shields-using-3d-printer/