Chepstow teachers have received top marks for their work after making 500 PPE masks in the school workshop for front line Gwent hospice staff.
The first batch of the PPE masks produced by the comprehensive school teachers are now being worn by St David's Hospice Care nurses while treating patients.
Chepstow School Assistant Head Teacher, Mrs Emma Mellen, said: “Staff have made 500 of the PPE masks so far and these have been donated to St David's Hospice Care, the Royal Gwent Hospital, Blaen Y Pant residential home, Castle Court residential home, Severn View residential home and Chepstow's Vauxhall Surgery.
“We have enough material available to make a further 500 and will be offering these to those we have already supplied in particular St David's Hospice Care.”
Mrs Mellen said the Monmouthshire school teachers had decided to make the PPE masks for the Newport-based hospice after learning of their desperate Covid-19 plight. The teachers who made the initial batch of PPE masks are Mrs Davies, Mrs Heath, Mr Anthony, Mr Smith and Mrs Jones.
“After reading a news link from St David's Hospice Care and watching a documentary about how hospices are struggling, staff and students felt that they had to act. Using TEAMS as a platform, staff and students discussed a virtual festival that would raise money for the much needed PPE. This is where #voicesforvisors originated. Their desperate need and the fact that they serve out community so closely. Some staff and students have had personal relationships with the hospice over the years.”
The school has raised £1,580 to date
” Our staff and students are extremely proud of our DT team and their collective efforts to help during a time of worldwide crisis.We feel very proud that we have been able to help in this practical way. We are all very committed to continuing our support for St David's Hospice Care even after things return to ‘normal'”.
Mrs Mellen said the school had decided to stage a talent show to raise money to fund the PPE production.
“We've arranged a Chepstow's Got talent contest. Students, staff, our school governors and members of our community, were asked to contribute £5 to the gofundme page to enter and then to upload their talent on video using twitter.
The winning talent will feature in Chepstow School's Endless Summer Festival on Friday, May 22. This festival is intended to replace all of the amazing festivals that will undoubtedly have to be cancelled over the summer. Because of the mass cancellations we decided to hold our own. The festival will feature musical talents of our school students and our school community. It will be live streamed either through zoom or TEAMS from 7pm on the day. Details of how to log on and donate is school website.”
Emma Saysell, Chief Executive of St David's Hospice Care, said:
“Our nurses are thrilled with the PPE masks. It's marvellous what the teachers at Chepstow School have done for us. We're just so extremely grateful.”
For more details on Chepstow's Got Talent visit: https://www.chepstowschool.net/en/covid-19/chepstows-got-talent
https://www.chepstowschool.net/en/covid-19/endless-summer-festival
www.stdavidshospicecare.org
All details can also be found here on our Go Fund Me Page: gf.me/u/xxj6mq
The Endless Summer Festival 2020 on the evening of Friday 22nd May 2020, Chepstow School will host a virtual festival featuring our talented students, staff and governors for your viewing and listening pleasure. All we ask is a small donation to dial into this event and support this vital cause.
More details of this exciting event to follow…watch this space! #voicesforvisors
Chepstow’s Got Talent
Chepstow School wants to get YOU involved! Do you have a musical or other talent you would like to share with the Chepstow Community? If so, we would love you to enter our “Chepstow’s Got Talent” competition. To enter, simply:
1. Post a video of your performance on Twitter, tagging @chepstowschool and adding the hashtag #chepstowsgottalent.
2. Donate £5 to our GoFundMe page, and add the link to your entry in the notes.
The deadline for entry is Friday, May 8. 2020, 5pm and then the Chepstow Community will have the opportunity to vote for their favourite entry! A talent competition like no other, featuring the talents of our community and voted for by our community. The victor will have the opportunity to close The Endless Summer Festival with their winning performance.
