Shropshire pupil, 15, leads campaign and ships 5,500 protective masks to UK
A group of Shropshire students who are now studying at home have contributed to the distribution of 5,500 protective masks to their school and the NHS.
The shipment of protective masks is a result of the initiative of Concord College student 15-year-old Johnny Ma, who is from Hong Kong.
He told today of how he sourced mask providers, assessing both quality and price.
“After a few offers and personal testing of the personal protective equipment (PPE), I found a great mask that met proper requirements,” Johnny said.
“After negotiations, the suppliers offered a 25 per cent discount.
“I started the fundraising process with Concordians on my Instagram page and to my delight the donations came pouring in – I was very shocked.”
After encountering hefty shipping fees, Johnny switched logistics companies to try and bring the costs down.
Due to a few delays and a ‘disappointing’ mix-up with other customers, Johnny then contacted other supplies and found smaller sized masks suitable for women and children.
“With that, and still meeting the requirements, I shipped the remaining 4,000 masks to Concord and a number of kind parents donated the remaining shipping fee," he said.
In a tribute to fellow students at the Acton Burnell school, Johnny added: “I want to express my gratitude for their kindness and generosity. I would like to thank them all for their donations, because without them these masks would not be sourced and shipped.”
The masks will benefit the NHS, local community services including nursing homes and Concord College staff.
They follow the college’s recent donation of PPE to the NHS.
Concord’s head of lower school Rachel Coward praised the ‘utter brilliance’ of students.
She said: “What I love most about this generous donation is the fact that it has come from the students themselves.
“When I first received the email I was so touched by Johnny’s thoughtfulness, his drive to get this done and his total efficiency.”
