Round Table pitch in for front-line heroes

An industrious charity team of volunteers have stepped up their mission to support Oldham’s NHS front-line heroes in the battle against coronavirus.

Initially, Saddleworth Round Table were asked to provide food, drinks and personal hygiene products to exhausted nurses and back-up teams.

But now, Round Table’s Mike Procter has said: “This has now escalated into request for PPE.

“The equipment is in the system, but is taking its time to get to Oldham hospital. 

“The Government is delivering to where there is most demand, so it appears to be London first, then the Midlands then the new Nightingale Hospitals.

“Oldham is quite a way down the list.

"The kit will come, but our Round Table can now help with a short-term requirement.”

Mike went on: “Through contacts we found several manufacturers in the UK willing to sell us visors, masks, aprons and hand sanitiser as this is destined for a front-line NHS hospital with an immediate need. 

“We picked up and delivered our first batch of PPE equipment on Saturday - 500 visors, several hundred masks, 10,000 aprons and 40 lots of sanitiser.

“This equipment was requested by ICU and desperately needed.

"We have spent just over £4,000 of the money raised to date. 

“We urgently need more as there is so much me we can supply to help our NHS frontline heroes."

Mr Procter says he is in direct contact with Kerry Byrne, Assistant Director of Nursing at the hospital.

“Kerry is now very kindly coordinating the requests from within the hospital, specifically ICU and A&E amongst other departments," he added.

“The requests we are receiving are directly from the front line staff.”

Mr Procter’s children, Libby (aged 15) and Michael (11), who attend Hulme Grammar school, helped pack the goods.

He added: “We’d normally do this as a round table get together, but obviously we can't, so they are my only two helpers!"

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