A Cambridge Nationals teacher and assessment specialist for engineering design is turning his knowledge, skills and equipment to help make Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for the NHS.

Stuart Peet (pictured top right), from Ashton on Mersey School in Sale, is busy making PPE equipment free of charge for first Stockport and now Trafford and Manchester NHS using 3D printers and laser cutting equipment at his school and other local schools.

Stuart was approached at the end of March to 3D print face shields. Realising a 3D printer would not produce the required quantity, he and a team of colleagues developed a laser-cut version of the face shields from acrylic and produced just over 330.

Social media picked up the story in the local press and after thousands of shares and likes, Stuart received requests from all around Manchester area for over 4,000 face shields.

Stuart commented: “We have now produced over 3,000 shields for 92 local hospital wards, as well as for nurses (providing services in the community) and care homes. Thanks to the generous nature of the public and local suppliers, we have been provided with all the materials we require for free and have been able to donate the PPE to the NHS.

“We are now a full-scale manufacturing operation and yesterday sent out 500 shields and cut 500 more. We will continue to cut 750 – 1,000 shields a day until there is no longer a requirement, but new orders are coming in every day. At present, I have five laser cutters working away for me on five different sites and my wife is running the admin side of things for 14 hours a day.”

Congratulations to Stuart for using his skills and experience to help his local NHS to get more of the vital equipment they need.

If you have any stories from your school or college, we’d love to hear them and to share your news. To do this, please let us know by emailing ocrmarketing.campaigns@ocr.org.uk.