Case Study

HMC schools supporting the NHS and local communities

During this period of uncertainty, we wish to help members of our local community in any way we can.

Jay Piggot, Head at Epsom College

The great work of HMC schools since the COVID-19 outbreak is continuing with many examples of schools supporting the NHS and their local communities.

These are just a few examples of HMC schools in action – highlighting their efforts.

Accommodation for critical workers

Epsom College is one of several HMC schools which is offering its boarding houses to NHS staff working on the frontline in the battle against coronavirus.

The college is providing 117 single-bed rooms to critical workers. The accommodation comes with on-site parking and is being offered free of charge.

Headmaster Jay Piggot said: “During this period of uncertainty, we wish to help members of our local community in any way we can.  The NHS staff working tirelessly on the front line are selfless, courageous, professional and vulnerable; we hope that this provision will ease the tremendous pressure they are under at this time.”

Meeting the needs of frontline staff

Strathallan School is one of many HMC schools making vital protective face masks for NHS staff working on the front line.

The equipment is going to nurses, doctors and emergency services workers across Tayside.

The school’s Head of Design Technology, Craig Wiles, together with a team of volunteers, have been using hi-tech 3D printers to produce new full-face masks.

Responding further to front line issues, Craig and his team are also producing ear guards, after hearing about the pain and blistering medical staff were experiencing from wearing over-ear fabric masks for up to 12 hours a day.

Craig and his team spent their Saturday and Sunday using Strathallan School’s equipment to produce more than 100 full-face masks and 100 ear guards over the weekend and are continuing production during the Easter holidays.

Supporting elderly residents in the local community

A group of 25 King’s School Bruton staff has volunteered to deliver goods to more than 150 elderly residents in the local community.

The team effort has meant vulnerable and housebound people have not had to worry about leaving their houses for essential items.

Following the Government announcement stating that elderly and vulnerable people had to self-isolate, King’s approached its local Post Office in the knowledge that many elderly residents already have accounts with the shop. Postmaster, Aidan MacDonald, and King’s Deputy Head, Alison Grant, discussed a plan which involved members of King’s staff buying goods from a wholesaler, bagging up the ordered goods and delivering to locals using the school’s minibuses. King’s staff and Post Office employees cleared a back room in the Post Office to make way for hundreds of grey boxes, each one a house delivery. Over the last two weeks, King’s School vehicles have completed food drops on nine separate days across Bruton and surrounding villages.

And there’s much more…

For many more examples of the work of HMC schools to help their local communities and beyond, see here.

 

Date

8 April 2020

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