Police help kit out care home staff with protective visors during coronavirus pandemic
Cops have helped bring more than 300 visors to staff at a care home.
Metropolitan Police officers in Hammersmith and Fulham have assembled and delivered the safety equipment to front line workers at the Nightingale Hammerson home in Clapham.
Working with Helpful Engineering UK, a new grassroots community initiative, the Hammersmith & Fulham Safer Neighbourhood team assembled and delivered 600 visors to a doctor’s surgery and a homeless charity in Sutton, Sutton Night Watch.
The work was co-ordinated by Helpful Engineering UK, a new volunteer initiative producing and distributing visors to front line workers in the NHS, care homes and charities across London – 15,000 in its first month of operation.
PC Rupert Higham, from Hammersmith and Fulham Metropolitan Police: “As a Safer Neighbourhoods Police Officer, it’s amazing to see so many people from different backgrounds working together to support our communities.
“Everyone involved just wants to say a massive thank you to front line workers.”
Dr Lamis Latif, NHS doctor, GP and founder of the @CoronaVirusFrontline campaign, which runs a distribution hub for PPE for London’s frontline workers, said: “These visors are exactly what we need: safe, comfortable and reusable.
“Helpful Engineering UK have now delivered 2,000 visors to our hub, but we still need more, many more. Every single visor helps keep one more front line worker safer.”
Nightingale chief executive Helen Simmons said: “Our care staff work hard to ensure our residents are safe and looked after with the utmost care and compassion. The visors have been welcomed by them and will be part of our essential PPE.”
Sutton Night Watch director Lisa Brown said: “Throughout the Covid19 pandemic, Sutton Night Watch works tirelessly to support the homeless & vulnerable, people who live on the street, the hidden homeless and vulnerable people in need of food and basic human comforts.
“We are funded by donations and led by volunteers so support like these visors is essential.”
Visors are produced by a network of 3D printers and laser cutters across London. To support the project go to: https://uk.gofundme.com/f/ujap6d-ppe-for-the-nhs
Pictured top: Helen Simmons, chief exec of the Nightingale Hammerson care home, Fergal McEntree, co-founder of Helpful Engineering UK, and Hammersmith and Fulham Met Police
