Businesses pull together to boost council stocks of vital protective equipment for North Yorkshire's frontline staff

North Yorkshire County Council said its senior officers reached out to businesses across the region who could help in the crucial sourcing of personal protective equipment (PPE) for key workers on the frontline.

The council's chief executive, Richard Flinton, said: “I could not ask more of our business partners. As soon as we put the call out about the need to maintain our PPE stocks and the need to extend our supply chain, the business community pulled out all the stops on our behalf."

Harrogate hubs set up to care for children of key workers during bank holidays and weekends

Skipton-based company Deliver Net - which procures medical and cleaning products for care companies - linked with the council to make a delivery of 11,000 of the urgently needed face masks.

The firm is one of seven PPE distributors chosen by the Department for Health and Social Care - and its chief executive Tim Lockett said it had set up a dedicated team to cope with the surge in demand.

He said: “We are doing everything we can to maintain supply and meet demand responsibly though it’s very challenging right now.”

Brandon Medical - which manufactures medical lighting and medical gas systems for intensive treatment units and operating theatres - has more than doubled production at its Yorkshire factory after collaborating its efforts with two other companies.

The firm's non-executive director Colin Glass said: "In the Yorkshire spirit of always doing the right thing, and helping each other and the community out during times of crisis Graeme Hall, our executive chair started the ball rolling.

"We contacted our friend Ilan Sherman, chief executive of Dencowear, a Leeds-based manufacturer of nurse uniforms and scrubs and he put the County Council on to Deliver Net.

"It’s so good to link North Yorkshire in with a great local company for this essential protection equipment.”

'If we act irresponsibly more people will die': North Yorkshire police and council chief urge people to stay at home as UK nears predicted coronavirus peak

The council has also been supported with emergency back-up supplies from a range of other local and regional businesses, including the natural oils company O&3.

The company has sourced thousands of respiration face masks from a supplier in China. Its chief executive Jennifer Wood said: "Our O&3 family are feeling this uncertainty as much as everyone else across our region so if we can ease just a little of the angst and concern it is the least we can do. We are humbled to help.”

Other companies in the county have this week handed over some of their own supply of face masks, including highways contractor Ringway, construction supplier Hansons UK and Masham-based animal feed supplier, l’Ansons.

“It is very heart-warming to know we have so much help out there in meeting this critical challenge” said council chief executive Richard Flinton. “But this problem carries on; the challenge continues as we struggle with national supply and so we need people to continue to rally to our cause.

“Our carers need all the supplies and support we can get to them and we are turning over every stone to make sure we keep these supplies going and that they are used in the right way at the right time and for the right purposes.

“In particular we would welcome any further supplies of Type II R fluid-resistant face masks and disposable eye protection to keep care workers safe and protected."

A message from the Editor

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards in the world. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news and information by buying a copy of our newspaper.

Thank you