Otley creatives make PPE while in lockdown

Otley Maker Space has so far produced 1,700 visors, 500 face masks, 250 scrubs and 200 ‘safety pigs’ to open doors and carry things without touching them.

The group, which normally produces a variety of products like stained glass and repurposes things, started off its lockdown by producing plastic visors for local hospitals and care homes, but its handiwork has now spread as far as Grimsby.

Its scrubs co-ordinator Andi Petch said: “In late March, our makers we were becoming very restless and needed to be making our contribution to the wider community. Gavin Parry, one of our founder members, had seen other members of the online maker community, experimenting with face visor designs.”

Otley Maker Space set up a Go Fund Me Page so they could buy more 3D printers and the materials needed to make the equipment. Member Sue Bowler set up the page in the hope of raising £1,500 but that was surpassed on the first day. They raised £4,130 in total.

Andi is currently leading a team of 50 volunteers. Some of them are shielding at home, so people have taken materials to them and collected finished PPE items from them. The initiative has also given those shielding some human contact during lockdown.

As the project progressed, so did demand for more PPE. Andi said: “We began receiving requests for scrubs and face masks and as we have a very strong sewing group at the maker space, we couldn’t resist the challenge. I sorted through all the fabric, including a large donation of fabric from Anna Boyle after her friend Pam Fortune had sadly passed away. Months later Antonia, Pam’s daughter, recognised her mum’s fabric on our Facebook page and got in contact with us. She said, ‘My sisters and I are delighted that the volunteers at Otley Maker Space have created 35 sets of scrubs from the fabric. It is such a special legacy for mum’.”

The group has also received practical help from Shipley Sewing Machines. The Institute of Physics gave them a donation of £500, while electronics firm Farnell donated a 3D printer and filament.

Otley Maker Space has now turned its attention to keeping vulnerable people safe by working with Otley Action for Older People and food banks. It is also working with the Otley BID to help businesses and allied health professionals open their businesses again. Its base at The Old Courthouse reopened this week.

Otley Maker Space will also continue to make scrubs, visors, masks and pigs as long they are needed. Andi said: “There have been many positives that have come out of quite a desperate situation. Not only have we helped the frontline staff and carers but we have strengthened the community response and have given people a sense of purpose which has improved their own mental and physical well-being. Many of our sewers have been shielding or self-isolating and team members have delivered materials to enable them to participate in the community efforts and see a friendly face a couple of times a week.”

“For me, this has been a very life affirming experience. I identify as disabled and have been able to play a significant part, meeting bunch of fantastic people and being constantly surprised by the generosity of the people in Otley.”

FACT FILE:

Otley Maker SPACE was co-founded by a TV science presenter early last year.

The group was set up following an idea by Dr Marty Jopson, the ‘Science Bloke’ on BBC’s The One Show’, who is from Otley. Member Andi Petch said the broadcaster was behind the creation of a community workshop and maker space in the town.

Otley Maker Space, which was officially opened by Alex Sobel MP in February 2019, is based in the old Citizen’s Advice Bureau within the Courthouse.

The group currently has 15 members. These range in professions from a filmmaker, a horticulturist an astronomer, a graphic designer and jeweller and two engineers. Andi added: “We have got lots of people who are really diverse. I used to teach how to be a filmmaker.”

Her nephew George Petch has also made a couple of videos to promote the work of Otley Makers Space.

In one of them he explains how much PPE the group has made. In the other he shows how a ‘safety pig’ can be used. The pig-shaped mould can open doors, enter pin codes and carry bags without physically touching objects. Scrubs, masks, visors and safety pigs are available from Otley Maker Space. You can also get safety pigs and face masks via Otley Action for Older People. For more see @Otleymakerspace on Facebook or otleymakerspace.blogspot.com.

To see George Petch’s YouTube videos, please see: youtu.be/U0Q4p_FKVag or youtu.be/6cf8lysJOMk