Huge support for Fife couple producing PPE for frontline workers

A Fife couple have launched a campaign to make protective shields for frontline workers.

Laura Poole and her partner Keith Gorman have started producing the visors using the laser cutting equipment they would usually use for their own businesses.

And they have been inundated with requests for the piece of personal protective equipment from people working on the front line in our communities.

The pair have also received tremendous support from people across Fife and beyond through a GoFundMe page they set up in a bid to help pay for the materials needed to produce the shields.

Laura (30), who normally runs her own business Laura Reece making wedding stationery, said: “Keith got an email last week from a company he works with down south.

“They are making shields for their local care homes and hospitals and had sent an email to other companies saying if you’ve got the tools and the machinery then just get on with it - so we did.

“We can only do it because we have got the laser machine to cut the shields, and we then got a template for them.”

The couple who live near Falkland initially began using their own money to buy the necessary materials.

“Keith won the Grand National and he put his winnings towards buying the first set of materials,” continued Laura.

“We didn’t think there would be demand for them, but we’ve had a lot of people get in touch with us.

“We realised we couldn’t keep doing it out of our own pockets, so that’s why we set up the GoFundMe page.

“We set a target of £500 to start and thought there was no way we’d get that.”

But the kindness of others has seen the page fly past the original target and also it’s exceeded an increased target that was set of £3000.

The current total is now over £4200.

“I just can’t believe it,” Laura said.

“People are just so generous.

“We can’t thank them enough for their support.”

The laser machine is currently allowing Laura and Keith - whose business Black Rose Designs UK is laser etching and engraving for shop signs - to cut 100 shields a day.

However they have ordered a new laser tube that will allow them to do 200 a day.

Laura said on Monday they had been “inundated” with requests for the protective equipment.

She said: “We’re sitting at 1700 requests and that was 600 more from last night [Sunday]. “We have been contacted by lots of people - lots from care homes, a few from the NHS and retail workers. We’ve been inundated with requests.

“The biggest sector we’ve been helping is care homes and nursing homes. Then it’s the NHS, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and retail workers.

“We’ve just had the Scottish Ambulance Service pick up a shield to get it tested so they can use them.

“We have had lots of people saying thank you and that we have no idea how much it means ot them.

“We’ve heard stories about people going to work with no protection, so even for them to have a shield, it will provide some kind of reassurance for them to go and do their job properly.

“Our eyes have been opened and we’ll just keep going as much as we can as long as the call is still there.”

Laura and Keith (49) would like to thank everyone - individuals and businesses - who have donated to their GoFundMe page so far.

Among them have been donations from businesses including Eden Joinery, Fife Properties, Eros Retail and the team at Kingdom Homes Ltd.

The Fife PPE Production fundraising page can be found here.

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