WARRINGTON'S FabLab at Beamont Collegiate Academy has been praised for making 5,000 face shields for the healthcare sector during the peak of coronavirus.

The centre used its range of industry leading equipment and 3D printers to meet the unprecedented demand for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

One of the healthcare settings to benefit from the FabLab team was Aintree University Hospital.

Jenny Banner, clinical physiologist at the hospital, said: "Chris Hillidge, FabLab director, and his team very generously donated 20 face shields to our cardiology lab early on in the Covid-19 crisis.

"I contacted Chris after reading an article in the Warrington Guardian and he responded within hours of receiving the email.

"The face shields were being used on the wards immediately and we are so grateful for FabLab's support for health workers in the NHS and care homes.

"We have real talent and generosity in Warrington, and the donation meant the world to us."

Warrington Guardian:

As well as creating vital PPE, the Long Lane site also used 3D printers to modify diving masks so they could be attached to an oxygen tank.

They were designed to be used on coronavirus patients who need extra support to breathe.

Paul Bullock, FabLab manager, said: "We estimate that we made about 5,000 face shields for the healthcare sector during the coronavirus.

"We had circa 20 3D printers running day and night to meet the demand of the NHS during the peak of Covid-19, many of which had been donated by education facilities in the area.

"We were also looking at the production and substantiation of some ventilator valve attachments in conjunction with consultants across the region."

The centre, which officially opened in March, is also home to computers, laser cutters, robotics, drones, virtual reality technology and traditional craft tools, allowing the whole community to experience science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) subjects.