SCHOOLS from in and around Andover have donated hundreds of items to workers on the social care frontline.

It comes after the care provider Agincare, which as an office in the high street, reached out to schools to ask for help amid a shortage of protective personal equipment (PPE).

Many of Agincare’s usual PPE suppliers have run out of stock, with no indication of when they will be resupplied.

But rather than working without essential supplies, the care provider’s Andover home care team contacted local schools to see if they could donate – and the team was overwhelmed by the response.

Within days the provider had received deliveries of safety glasses, gloves, masks, aprons, goggles and more.

Jan Butterfield, branch manager at Agincare Andover, said: “We’re determined to continue to deliver essential services to people relying on us during the coronavirus outbreak and are making sure our teams are following the government guidance on wearing PPE.

“The Department of Health and Social Care is attempting to distribute supplies of face masks and other essential protective equipment to all care providers, but we wanted to be proactive and get on and try to find local solutions to boost our stock.

“Everyone at Agincare, including our clients, is incredibly grateful that our local schools rose to the challenge of helping us at this difficult time - we’d like to say a massive thank you!”

The schools’ donations were as follows:

  • Farleigh School in Andover donated 30 pairs of safety glasses
  • Rookwood School in Andover donated 60 pairs of safety glasses, 12 boxes of gloves, and masks
  • Wellington Academy in Ludgershall donated 10 boxes of gloves
  • Smannell and Enham Primary School in Andover donated gloves
  • Test Valley School in Stockbridge donated 243 sets of goggles, rolls of aprons, hundreds of gloves and some disposable masks

Agincare would love to hear from other local businesses - such as beauty therapists, nail technicians and tattoo parlours, as well as schools and colleges - which may have a stock of aprons, goggles, gloves or face masks they would be willing to donate to frontline social care workers.

The care provider says the donations really will help save lives.

Email facilities@agincare.com if you are able to help.