The Freemasons of Nottinghamshire are proud to support the ongoing work of Worksop College in keeping our NHS and other key workers safe, and have helped the college raise over £5,000 to increase the production of NHS visors.
In late March 2020, the Government put the whole of the UK into lockdown. Before this the Head of Freemasonry in England and Wales, the Grand Master his Royal Highness the Duke of Kent, had put Freemasonry into suspension for four months to 17th July. This, however, did not stop the Freemasons of Nottinghamshire from continuing to support their local communities, charities and other good causes through raising money, donating time, equipment, and resources.
Therefore, when Worksop College put out an appeal through their Old Worksopian Society for donations to help boost their Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) project to supply the hospital and care sector with desperately needed face visors, the Freemasons were quick to react and donations were quickly forthcoming from the Provincial Grand Lodge, Worksop Masonic Club and the Old Worksopian Lodge.
Thanks to these donations and those of their community, in just 36 hours the college raised over £5,000 worth of equipment to increase production levels of protective face visors. Since the lockdown began, the college has been working daily to make PPE for NHS staff battling Coronavirus, a project initiated by Head of DT Gary Duckering. The college had been funding the initiative from existing materials to produce 10 to 12 protective face visors a day to help local hospitals and surgeries in the UK, using an existing 3D printer. College staff invested in an additional two printers to increase production levels, but put a request out for support to increase production levels even further.
The college is grateful for all the support they have been shown from individuals, as well as the Freemasons. The funds have seen the addition of 13 new printers, along with reels of filament material which is used to produce the protective face visors.
To date, the college has sent out over 500 visors across the region, to Bassetlaw Hospital, GP surgeries, local healthcare practitioners, care homes, and crematorium staff. The visors have also been sent further afield to the Royal Papworth Hospital in Cambridge and St George’s Hospital in London, where members of our alumni community work.
The Head of Freemasonry in Nottinghamshire, the Provincial Grand Master Philip Marshall added: “Nottinghamshire Freemasons are very proud to be part of the communities found in our fine county, including those working in an education sector which is so key to our prosperity. Our relationship with Worksop College is very important to us and we are pleased to be in partnership with the college on an initiative which assists in protecting the NHS and those working in the care sector.”
Local NHS providers who are seeking support for PPE are asked to send requests to Lucy Smithson at l.smithson@wsnl.co.uk.