This week we’re handing over more personal protective equipment (PPE) to support our frontline health heroes during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to enable a children's hospice to reopen its doors to families.
These latest donations to health workers in North Lincolnshire and across the Tees Valley, take the total number of items donated since the start of the pandemic to more than 40,000. These include:
“There are no words strong enough to express the gratitude we all feel at British Steel, for the frontline carers who have supported our communities throughout the pandemic,” explained British Steel CEO Ron Deelen.
“Wearing PPE is a standard part of our operating practice, so we know how important it is to have access to high-quality and properly-fitted masks, gloves, suits and glasses.
“It has been our great privilege in recent months to be able to lend our support to frontline carers in a range of settings from care homes and hospices, to hospitals and GP practices.
“We thank every one of these health workers for their kindness and compassion, and we hope our latest donation will continue to keep them safe them over the coming months.”
British Steel and our owner Jingye, have been working with clinical commissioning groups in the two areas since March to provide thousands of essential masks, gloves, suits and glasses.
Zoe's Place Baby Hospice in Middlesbrough was forced to close its doors in March. The specialist centre for children with life-threatening and life-limiting conditions hopes to reopen on August 10, but urgently needs PPE to reinstate services to local families.
Lisa Appleby, Head of Care for the centre, said: "From myself and Zoe’s Place Middlesbrough, I would just like to say thank you to British Steel and the many other people for their generous donation of PPE which will help us to open our doors to provide the much-needed respite to the families we support, whilst ensuring the safety of both staff and our service users."
Shaun Stacey, Chief Operating Officer of Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust, said: “On behalf of NHS services in North Lincolnshire I want to say thank you to British Steel for their generous donation of personal protective equipment, which will help to ensure the safety of staff and patients in hospitals, GP practices, care homes and other healthcare settings in our local communities.
“The safety of patients and staff is of the utmost importance so we are grateful to British Steel for donating this equipment that, along with our existing PPE supplies, will support our health and care colleagues as they continue to provide exemplary care to patients during these unprecedented times.”