Yorkshire grammar school staff set up production line making visors for NHS

A "fully functioning production line" was set up at Harrogate Grammar School as staff created vital protection equipment for NHS staff.
Some of the visors made by staff at Harrogate Grammar School. Picture: Harrogate Grammar SchoolSome of the visors made by staff at Harrogate Grammar School. Picture: Harrogate Grammar School
Some of the visors made by staff at Harrogate Grammar School. Picture: Harrogate Grammar School

The school's design team began making protective visors for local healthcare staff after seeing a tweet from a school in Coventry doing something similar.

After contacting King Henry VIII School for a 2D cutting file, they started the prototype process last Monday.

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Yorkshire grammar school donates 450 pairs of goggles to NHS staffAnd after documenting their progress on Twitter, the Harrogate team said they were "quickly inundated" with requests, first from a GP at Mowbray Square Medical Centre.

Some of the visors made by staff at Harrogate Grammar School. Picture: Harrogate Grammar SchoolSome of the visors made by staff at Harrogate Grammar School. Picture: Harrogate Grammar School
Some of the visors made by staff at Harrogate Grammar School. Picture: Harrogate Grammar School

Materials were ordered and delivered on Wednesday, allowing for the production line to be fully set up and functional.

Later, a midwife from Harrogate District Hospital got in touch, along with "consultants from various departments" and "it quickly became clear that a high volume of the visors was required," a school spokeswoman said.

Head of art and design, Jo Oates, senior design technician Craig Bulmer and graphic design teacher Helen Williams then set up a functional production line, allowing for 165 visors to be produced, assembled and delivered on Thursday and 232 on Friday. A ‘flat-pack’ version was also posted out to several former students, currently working as doctors within the NHS.

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The aim is now to produce 200 a day going forward, and the design team plan to continue until no longer needed.

Senior design technician Craig Bulmer. Picture: Harrogate Grammar SchoolSenior design technician Craig Bulmer. Picture: Harrogate Grammar School
Senior design technician Craig Bulmer. Picture: Harrogate Grammar School

The visors are 100 per cent plastic, so can be cleaned and reused whereas others are disposable. They are also fully adjustable, allowing for no gaps around the head therefore

heightening safety.

In addition to GPs and Harrogate Hospital requesting the visors, Yorkshire Ambulance Service and care homes in the area have also contacted the school.

Further to this, a consultant from a Leeds hospital requested some, so the 2D cutting file has been shared with Leeds schools in the Red Kite Learning Trust so that they can start to produce visors and distribute in the city.

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