Church of England schools across the Diocese are responding in the fight against coronavirus by making generous donations of equipment to the NHS and other care providers. 

It follows an initial email making the request to the Diocesan Board of Education from a member of their Associate Advisory Team, whose daughter is a Senior Nurse at one of the main Lancashire hospitals. Equipment provided so far includes goggles (lots!) but also other things like gloves, masks and even curtain hooks.

Some schools have even been using their 3D printers to make some of the equipment. 

Schools' donations so far include:

• Archbishop Temple, Preston: Science goggles and boxes of gloves provided. The Department of Technology now investigating making parts to transform swimming-type breathing apparatus to be adapted to create ventilator parts. 
• Balshaws High, Leyland: All goggles given to a local care home
• Bishop Rawstorne, Croston: 300 goggles sent and now laser-cutting new visors
• Hutton Grammar, Preston: Goggles and gloves sent
• Ripley St Thomas, Lancaster: All goggles sent and now 3D printing curtain hooks and face visors.
• St Christopher’s Accrington: Gloves, masks and goggles sent
• St Michael's High, Chorley: 100 goggles sent to local hospital 
• St Aiden's CofE High School, Poulton: PPE for local hospitals and care homes

We will continue update the list with news of any further donations from these or other schools. 

Responding to the donations being made Helen Sage, Advisor to High Schools and Academies, said: "This is a fantastic response from our schools. Whilst remembering everyone affected by the current crisis in prayer they have pulled out all the stops to support their local community in response to the national efforts to help defeat Covid-19."

Ronnie Semley, April 2020