Nine thousand full face visors have been created and donated to the frontline and social care workers in Richmond by a local graphics company – offering protection against COVID-19.

Data Reprographics Ltd are a 3D printing and graphics company which services the film, TV and theatre industry. Due to the lockdown they have temporarily closed their business.

However, following appeals from the NHS and Richmond Council for vital Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) to protect front line staff, they decided to put their equipment to good use.

Working with over 500 volunteers, many of them from Twickenham and Teddington, they have been producing the masks and have handed out nearly 9,000 already to doctors and nurses in local hospitals.

Now, they have offered over 100 to social care workers in Richmond, protecting the staff when they enter people's homes and the clients from the virus. The masks are a simple design consisting of a 1mm Foamex band, acetate shield, foam head guard and a Velcro fixing.

The company are keen to continue to make the masks, expanding distribution to local community groups. However, they are appealing to the local community for urgent help with financial donations to purchase the materials needed to make the masks.

Twickenham residents Faye McCallum and Matt Jones have been driving the project over the past few weeks. The project started when Faye's father asked her for some off cuts of Foamex to try and make a visor.

Together, around their dining table, the McCallum family initially produced a few hundred. They were so well received at hospitals that the requests flooded in, so much so that there was an immediate need to scale up fast and produce thousands instead of a few hundred.

With the help of the wider Data Reprographics team and volunteers in the TV and film industry, they were supplying almost all major London and local hospitals within 10 days

They said: "We wanted to do our bit to help those who are on the front line, saving lives. Everyone knows someone in the NHS and they all need protecting. This includes our niece Karina, who works in a London hospital ICU unit. She has inspired us to keep up the production until sufficient supplies reach them.

"Thanks to the generous donations from our suppliers, and an army of volunteers, we have been able to produce thousands of these masks. We know that they in part will provide vital protection. We would like to continue to make more, we have the machines and we have the man-power – we just need to be able to buy more acetate and foam."

Cllr. Gareth Roberts, Leader of Richmond Council, said: "Beating this virus will only be possible if we work together as a community. Everyone can do their bit. I would like to offer my huge thanks to John, Faye and Matt – and their volunteers. These masks are invaluable.

"Given the critical role social care workers are playing, it is absolutely essential that they are fully protected. I hope that many people will donate to help Data Reprographics continue with their good work and enable them to help even more people."

Donate today to help make more masks