Stay at home... & informed
Get your Star sent to your front door
LLANELLI MS Lee Waters has praised the efforts of Llanelli constituency residents who have been working to provide vital PPE equipment for hospitals and NHS staff working in south and west Wales.
Llanelli-based group For the Love of Scrubs, co-ordinated by Jayne Siddel, has made 2,000 scrub bags supplied to GP surgeries and individual nurses. They are currently in the process of completing a major order of 1,000 scrubs for Glangwili.
To date, the Amman Valley MakerSpace (AVMS) scheme, partially based in the Llanelli constituency, has rapidly produced 11,000 face shields after teaming up with Dr Dimitrios Pletsas of Swansea University, who helped to design the shields.
Llanelli’s Prince Philip Hospital, along with Glangwili, Morriston and Singleton hospitals, have all received deliveries of the face shields. They will also be worn by staff in local pharmacies and by district nursing teams.
AMVS provides community access to new technologies, laser cutting and 3D printing equipment.
Two of its members are Llanelli-based businessmen, David Darkin, managing director of Darkin Architects, and Barry Kirby, managing director of K-Sharp. They have both contributed towards the production.
David Darkin, who is also a town councillor for Elli, said: “Darkin Architects are doing our bit to battle Covid-19, repurposing our 3D printer to print PPE visors for NHS workers.
“We’ve joined Frontline 3D Print Farms in making badly needed equipment for frontline staff who are dealing with patients and risk exposure to coronavirus.
“We’re now working with a team of 3D print experts and enthusiasts from across South Wales including schools, universities, and Tata Steel.”
Barry Kirby, who lives in Trimsaran and whose company K-Sharp normally develops technology and innovation prototypes at the defence frontline, is pleased to be playing his part.
He said: “To rapidly move to support the NHS in this way is great and helps us feel like we are being proactive in the fight against Covid-19.
“The immediate tasks of getting something approved for use by the health authority has been a massive target, which through persistence, has been achieved. But the positive products, of bringing together a community, especially in this time of isolation, has been fantastic.”
Lee Waters MS added: “Coronavirus has had such a huge impact on our lives and continues to throw up challenges.
“We are seeing the very best of people and businesses, who are doing all they can to try and support our services in a time of need.
“It’s a source of pride to see the amount of support coming from people right across the Llanelli constituency. Everyone is doing what they can to help us through this difficult time.
If you’d like to help support AMVS efforts, a fundraising page has been set up to receive donations.
Donations go towards providing suppliers with the filament (material) they need. https://www. go fundme . com/f/1ypsl074qo
If you have a 3D printer and would like to get involved, more information can be found on the Frontline 3D print farms webpage: https://sites. google. com/ view/ frontline3dprintfarms/ farmers).
Alternatively, contact info@ darkinarchitects. com for more information.
Those who want to get involved with the work of For the Love of Scrubs can on Facebook: https:// www. facebook. com/ groups/ carmarthenshireftlos/