In just under two weeks, approximately 185,000 additional items including gloves, hand sanitiser, face masks, goggles, aprons and gowns have been provided either as donations from local businesses or from regular or new suppliers. With a high demand for PPE both locally and nationally these sought after items will now be used to support essential council services across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, including those which protect the most vulnerable people in the community.

Councillor Vikki Slade, Leader of BCP Council, said, “We’ve seen an exceptionally high demand for PPE in recent weeks with supplies increasingly hard to source.

Issuing our appeal to local businesses which may have equipment within their stocks, we were soon taken aback and overwhelmed by the number of responses received. We thank everyone who has been in touch with their offers. We will have continuing needs for PPE for our frontline staff over the coming weeks so would be very grateful for further offers which businesses are able to make.”

Council services which require PPE, include the in-house front line social care teams who are delivering personal care to residents, the Telecare teams who may be responding to customers who have fallen, the outreach teams who are helping to move the homeless off the streets and all partner agencies who are working alongside the Council to deliver other vital services.

For more information on the appeal, please visit: www.bcpcouncil.gov.uk/News/News-Features/COVID19/Employers-Employees-and-Businesses/appeal-for-local-business-assistance.aspx