Aberdeenshire teachers make visors to help protect NHS frontline workers

A North East school are making face shields for frontline NHS workers to help protect themselves against the coronavirus.

Teachers at Banff Academy have already made 100 visors, with plans to make plenty more to keep up with demand.

The face shields are made out of laminating pouches, acrylic and an elastic band.

They say they have been 'overwhelmed' with support from the wider community following an appeal for supplies.

Caroline McFarlane, Head of Design and Technology at Banff Academy, said she is delighted to be part of something which is 'really making an impact.'

She said: 'We’ve had people who don’t seem to have any direct ties to the school, who have been willing to purchase materials and have them delivered.

'Just to allow us to continue with the manufacturing of these face shields and get them out into the community.

'We made a little assembly line which we’re refining and getting quicker.

'It’s quite something at the end of the day to look back on just how much we’ve been able to manufacture and know how much of an impact it’s going to have.'

Caroline also hopes the face shields will help inspire students.

She added: 'We’ve taken the stuff we’re teaching first and second year students and we’ve applied it to a real life context, something that is really making an impact.

'We’re in quite a remote part of the North East, a lot of things are taking a wee bit longer so it might just give some of our local community workers a bit of a head start while they’re waiting for their proper PPE to come in to play.'

• coronavirus
• banff academy