#Shields4Manchester
In the current COVID-19 pandemic, front line workers in the NHS are facing a lack of PPE that they desperately need to protect themselves from this virus.
** If you are in need of PPE or think you may be able to help with anything please email [email redacted] **
A Grassroots collective of hobbyists and industry has popped up offering me help in generating PPE in huge volumes. 100% of funds raised will be used to make these available for frontline workers.
#Shields4Manchester
From 300/day by 1 man in his garage to 10,000/day on the Factory floor in 7 days. With NHS approval for reuse being processed at Stepping Hill, this network has grown through people's kindness and is willing to do the right thing when it is needed.
#Shields4Manchester initiative and its wider network has managed to provide over 4000 laser cut and die cut shields in the last few days alone. We have found demand spreading wider than our local area with requests for 1000’s of masks from all over Greater Manchester, Cheshire and Merseyside. It's time to go bigger. With shields now in use across GP’s, Hospices and Hospitals the networks spread across the north west and are capable of generating over 10,000 facehields per day at a material cost of 57p!
Alvanley Family Practice publicly announced, “He has changed the way we practice, improved the health and safety of our clinicians and patients and made one Practice Manager sleep more easily tonight.” Word spread fast over the first week and orders for 1000’s of the face shields have been placed and are being fulfilled already. 
Mark read an article about 3D printing face shields, however, he suspected there were faster, cheaper and better options available and began his research!
By adopting an ingenious laser-cut open-source design of a Nottingham based collective he produced his proof of concept prototypes and contacted local GP’s and Nurses who were moved to tears at the idea of what he could provide out of his home workshop he knew he had to do more, he phoned a local plastics firm who were confident they could do it even better with their die-cutting machine!
Working from early in the morning to late at night, he has developed a network now capable of providing PPE to our key workers. The network of hobbyists and factories will only be happy when there’s a shield for every front line hero! 
The current collection consists of;
- Mark R Binks (Founder and Lead of Manchester Hub)
- Tracy Telford (Lead of #Shields4Cheshire&Merseyside)
- ProntoImages.com (Lead of #Shields4Corby&Kettering)
- Spectrum Plastics (Die-Cutting Factory)
- Floreeda Fabrication (Laser Cutter Specialist)
- Dave D Events Limited (Local laser cutting company)
- A Beautiful Sign (Local laser cutting company)
And many other volunteers, engineers, loved ones, and wonderful people displaying outstanding community spirit from across the nation.
Current rave review from our local practice!
https://www.facebook.com/Alvanleyfamilypractice/posts/2688353904742184
Open source designers Information Pages
https://community.andmirrors.co.uk/t/covid-19-laser-cut-face-shield/16
Video from one of the designers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqByh6uS-xc
#Shields4Manchester #ShieldsForManchester
