News | Friday, 24th April 2020

Coronavirus: University donates much-needed personal protective equipment to social care charity

Aprons, gloves and wipes given to The Fed for use by care home staff

Much-needed personal protective equipment (PPE) has been donated by Manchester Metropolitan University to a local social care charity for use in its care home.

The University's PPE consumables were gifted to The Fed, the leading social care charity for Greater Manchester's Jewish community, as part of efforts to support the wider regional community during the Coronavirus (Covid-19) lockdown.

Representatives from the Prestwich-based organisation picked up the boxes of kit - which comprised 2,400 aprons, 4,000 sterile wipes and more than 5,300 disposable gloves - on the morning of April 21.

Pauline Black, a Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Health, Psychology and Social Care's Department of Social Care and Social Work, was instrumental in ensuring the University could help out The Fed with equipment that had been set aside for exactly this kind of possibility when the faculty's Brooks Building closed earlier this month.

Generosity means so much

Raphi Bloom, Director of Fundraising and Marketing at The Fed, said: "The Fed's Heathlands Village Care home has 180 residents and 175 staff.

"We have found it a continuous struggle over the past several weeks to source sufficient PPE to keep our residents and staff safe so donations of vital PPE such as that which we received from Manchester Metropolitan means we can ensure this is the case.

"We cannot thank the University enough and your generosity means so much to all of us at The Fed."

It is one of a number of ways the University and its students are helping in the collective effort against Covid-19, including donating and manufacturing personal protective equipment to supporting small businesses and working to supply medical gowns.

Huge pressure

Black said: "I used to work at The Fed for 16 years, prior to coming to the University, and am still in contact with former colleagues there, including the Chief Executive.

"We had been discussing the Covid-19 situation and the huge pressure they were under.

"The Fed provides both residential and nursing care services at Heathlands, as well as a range of community support services - including social work - and, as a charity, rather than private care provider, do not make a profit and so would struggle with the financial implications of providing adequate PPE equipment.

"As an organisation that is commited to the safety and wellbeing of both staff and residents, when I heard there was equipment that we were looking to donate, they were the first organisation I thought of."