Former Bake Off star from Portsmouth and businesses make 6,000 PPE items for healthcare workers

Enwezor Nzegwu, former Bake Off contestant and enterprise consultant at the University of Portsmouth, has been co-ordinating the effort since the end of March, after an appeal from a friend who works in the NHS.

Business including staff members at LiveLink Technology Ltd, in Havant, have used several laser cutting machines to make the see-through visors, modifying a design available freely online, to make a visor in less than 45 seconds.

The PPE items have been delivered to more than 109 organisations across the Portsmouth area, including The Hive volunteer group making food and medicine deliveries across the city.

Enwezor said: ‘It's one of the hardest things I have ever done as I didn't really know what I was doing and had to learn as I went.

‘It's all worth it though with the hundreds of messages of thanks, heart-warming stories and pictures that I have received.

‘This would not have been possible without the people who have come together to make this happen in a very short time - the funders, the manufacturers, the advocates and the delivery drivers.'

Staff at two Southsea care homes were ‘very grateful’ to receive more than 100 visors, as they have begun to support Covid-19 positive patients returning from Queen Alexandra Hospital.

Maria Bungaroo, the manager of the Braemar Care Home, in Wimbledon Park Road, Southsea, and the Regency Nursing Home, in St Helen’s Parade, said: ‘It’s still very scary for residents when they see us in all the equipment, but for staff it is very reassuring.

‘It gives them a great sense of security and safety.’

Demand for equipment remains high, according to Enwezor.

He said: ‘I would have thought the demand would have died down by now.

‘And we know there are areas we haven’t reach – we have not really had much involvement with organisations in Waterlooville and Emsworth, and on Hayling Island.’

The crowdfunding campaign to pay for materials used by the group has raised more than £12000.

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