A SCHOOL in York has come to the aid of the city's hospice and supplied their nurses with safey equipment in the wake of the Coronavirus outbreak.

The Mount School has given 85 sets of glasses-styled science eye protector safety goggles from their laboratories and 100 sets of disposable gloves to St Leonard's Hospice for use by the charity's palliative care nurses. 

In an appeal to York-area schools, the hospice was sourcing any stock of science safety goggles to cope with an expected increased caseload over the coming weeks. Their normal supply chain anticipated no additional stock for up to six weeks. The goggles, specifically, had proven effective in protecting front line nurses dealing with Covid-19 cases in Italy and France. Following donations from local schools, the hospice said they now expect to be better able to cope with demand for this personal protective equipment to safeguard their palliative care staff. 

Princial, Adrienne Richmond, said: "With schools' premises closed to prevent the spread of covid-19, it's better for this safety equipment to be used in protecting the hospice's palliative care nurses than sitting unused in our laboratories. Front line staff are making an invaluable service in these times and we all need to do our bit, whether that means staying home and teaching online as our staff have this past week, or in other ways. As a Quaker school, The Mount's ethos encourages our pupils to contribute to our wider community. I am delighted to help in this way and I know the whole school will wholeheartedly agree."