There is a critical shortage of PPE to help with the COVID-19 pandemic response. With the help of a rota of volunteers, Shiplake College is producing face shields in its DT Department to help supply local healthcare services and care homes with protection, which these key workers desperately need.

The College has so far made 600 face shields and is aiming for 150-200 a day. The initial order of materials will create about 1200 shields.

We have the amazing staff, the equipment and the contacts for further resources, but production still comes at a cost. We have set a target of £1000 which will allow us to create a further 2000 shields; we have received a one-off gift for £500 and so hope that a number of smaller gifts may be possible to achieve our goal.

Any contributions would be gratefully received to enable us to continue supporting the NHS and any other heroes who are working in environments that put them at increased risk of coming into contact with this invisible killer.

Please contact Kat Green at kgreen@shiplake.org.uk if you would like to request a delivery of face shields (normally in boxes of 50).

(Please note that the College is also one of 22 partner schools that are working with Leighton Park School and its amazing project that has so far produced over 10,000 face shields. Their design requires the use of a laser cutter and the College's one unfortunately stopped working soon after production. We are awaiting the delivery of a new part and will resume collaboration with Leighton Park at the earliest opportunity, but it is not clear how long this will take. In the meantime, the College is producing shields manually using our own design, which therefore requires sourcing and financing our own materials.)

Disclaimer: the face shields are produced in a clean but non-sterile environment where social distancing is being observed for those not in households; all volunteers certify that they feel well and are not displaying any COVID-19 symptoms; the design does not meet strict British Standards guidance.