In partnership with the North & Western Lancashire Chamber (NWLCC) a local businessman is joining the call to get behind the NHS by unlocking much needed supplies urgently required by the NHS and its volunteer force.
Norman Tenray, Chief Executive of OBAS UK, the Longridge-based construction group, has contacted a variety of local colleges, universities and businesses who are closed urging them to release all available vital equipment such as dust masks, vinyl gloves, aprons and other personal protective equipment (PPE). He is encouraging organisations with resources available to call the NWLCC who are acting as a coordinating point for stock release and availability.
Mr. Tenray said: “It’s crazy that within the UK we have a range of PPE equipment which is crucially needed, there are over 600 universities within the UK that would usually use these products for training students across a range of subjects to include hairdressing, beauty, catering, engineering and in manual working circumstances.
If each of these universities have 100 dust masks or 1000 vinyl gloves then that could be 60,000 dust masks or 600,000 vinyl gloves that could be immediately available! Now think about businesses and sole traders across the UK and just imagine what impact this could have if every hairdressing company could make available 1 box of gloves, and if every car spraying company made 1 box of masks available!”.
“I am delighted that Lancaster University, Preston’s College, LTE Group in Manchester and numerous local businesses have already volunteered to be involved but am positive that many more businesses can truly make an immediate difference in protecting our communities across the UK”.
Commenting on this initiative, Babs Murphy, Chief Executive of the North & Western Lancashire Chamber of Commerce said: “This initiative could make a huge difference to the supply chain where vital equipment and stocks are urgently required. The message needs to go far and wide.
Already, the British Chambers of Commerce have agreed to get its network of 53 chambers across the UK to push this message to their own business communities. The Chamber network is ideally positioned to co-ordinate this initiative and already have established relationships with the local authorities and emergency services to ensure that this can be handled responsibly without putting anyone at risk in line with Government and Public Health England advice”.
