RGS donates safety equipment to NHS heroes

RIPON Grammar School has donated all its science and design technology safety goggles, face masks and gloves to help our NHS heroes in their fight against coronavirus.

Following a request from Darlington and Durham NHS Trust, head of science Richard Grime arranged a delivery of all the new and nearly new safety goggles lying dormant in our science laboratories to the trust’s medical director Jeremy Cundall.

Dr Grime said: “We were contacted by the trust and were only too happy to donate anything that could help in the fight against the virus.”

Following this, RGS was contacted by an NHS worker concerned about the desperate shortage of personal protection equipment for district nurses visiting vulnerable and ill patients in their homes in the Ripon area.

Premises manager Andrew Hogg and caretaker Steve Orr opened up the DT department and sixth form science rooms so that head of DT David Rudland and Dr Grime could raid every cupboard on site to search for anything else of use to district nurses.

Mr Rudland, who donated his total stock of safety spectacles, masks and gloves, said: “I hope it helps.”

District nurse Fiona Pearman said: “They were very much appreciated by the local district nurses. Thank you, Ripon Grammar School.”

Aimee Roxanne O’Connell commented: “As an ex-student and a current NHS nurse, this is amazing. Thank you.”