Chinese parents of Shropshire students donate face masks to nursing homes
Chinese parents of college students have donated face masks to Shropshire nursing homes which have been struggling to get supplies.
A total of 1,500 face masks have been donated by the parents of students at Acton Burnell's Concord College and delivered to English Care, which runs the Lady Forester Nursing Home at Much Wenlock and Bowbrook House, Shrewsbury.
The college has also told English Care that it will reach out to its agent in China to try and provide a contact for further supplies of face masks.
David English, director of English Care, said: “We would like to thank the Chinese parents of the Concord College students very much for their most kind donations.
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“The masks are desperately needed to protect both our staff and residents.
"We are still struggling to get supplies of face masks and despite the Government stating they are being shipped to care homes, we have so far received only 300 which was three weeks ago.
“The national helpline sent an emergency supply of 100 which lasted one-and-a-half days and our local supplier is hoping to get some next week.”
He said the cost of equipment had ‘gone through the roof’ since the coronavirus pandemic arrived.
Pre Covid-19, they were paying 3.5p per face mask.
Now the cost had escalated to 61p.
Similarly, hand sanitiser which was £18 for six has increased to £240 for the same quantity.
He said that so far neither nursing home had had any incidence of Covid-19.
“We took the view to shut down the homes to visitors on March 11 and staff have had additional training in infection control," Mr English added.
“We also take temperatures of staff and residents every morning.”
Lady Forester Nursing Home has 60 staff and 43 residents, together with some independent living on site.
Bowbrook House has 40 staff and 29 residents.
Jeremy Kerslake, vice principal (pastoral) and designated safeguarding lead at Concord College, said: “It is good to know that the masks our Chinese parents donated have been useful to staff and residents of English Care.”
