Teenager's gift of personal protection equipment to Windsor surgery

James Essex is a first year student at the University of Liverpool, studying Mechatronics (engineering).

He came home on March 20 and as the owner of a 3D printer, began producing the much needed PPE.

So far, James has made 30 face masks which have been delivered to the Sheet Street surgery in Windsor.

He bought the necessary elastic and clear plastic and assembles them himself. Each mask takes around an hour and a half to print so James does this overnight. His 3D printer is in a cupboard in his bedroom to keep noise at a minimum for the rest of his family. They are then assembled on a sterilised kitchen worktop with all the other parts and then sealed in a box to avoid contamination.

James said: “As someone who has the time and the means to make the equipment, I felt it was my responsibility to give it a try. One of the advantages of a 3D printer is that it can go from the design stage to a finished product in a matter of hours, unlike traditional manufacturing. This makes it a vital tool in the current circumstances."

Doctor Catherine Wellington said; “We are so grateful to James for making and delivering these masks. We have been struggling to get all of the necessary kit for the surgery and these will help protect our patients and our team. The PPE shortage has been extremely challenging but getting this kit not only helps us, it tells us how much people in the local community care about each other and their NHS workers. We are really impressed that James has taken the time to develop these. He will obviously be an incredibly successful engineer in the future.”

With the right materials, James could make around 100 facemasks a week, including assembly. However, button elastic, clear acetate sheets and 3D printer filament are currently out of stock in most places.

James is hoping that companies other local people or schools and universities with the right equipment may be able to step in and help.