The Westholme community has come together to support the NHS in many different ways during this challenging time.
We have been doing our bit to help our community and support the #NHSHeroes working on the frontline, during which time a many heart warming stories of determination and care have unfolded. You can read about some of them below.
Donating Supplies
We donated gloves, safety glasses and scrubbing brushes to the East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust Royal Blackburn Hospital to help fight against Coronavirus.The response on social media saw the school inundated with requests for help to provide Personal Protective Equipment.
Dr Qureshi said, “I can’t tell you how grateful we would be to receive these… once we receive them we can then allocate them to neighbouring surgeries and hot and cold clinics that would greatly benefit from this added protection.”
3D Printing and Laser Cutting Masks
The 3D printer and laser cutter at Westholme School, donated by the Westholme Association, have been working continuously to create visors and mask clips.
The initiative, started by Mr Jonathan Walker in the Design and Technology Department, saw him create a number of visors for Burnley General Hospital – delivered by Principal Mrs Horner which were greatly received. The response on social media was so incredible that Westholme collaborated with the Technology Department at Broughton High School and St Cecilia’s RC High in Longridge to combine resources and produce over 500 visors and mask clips for frontline NHS staff.
The visors have been delivered to a number of locations around the county including the Royal Preston Hospital, Blackpool Victoria Hospital, Royal Blackburn Hospital, East Lancashire Hospice, Darwen Health Link, Community Sexual and Reproductive health Clinics, Blackburn Birth Centre, Colne Health Centre, Meadowfield House home for older people and Primary Care Mental Health Services.
Mrs Lynne Horner said: “It is often in the most difficult times that we see the best in people. We have been proud to support our wonderful NHS workers and, though the efforts of our DT teacher Mr Walker and subsequent close collaboration with two local schools, we have been able to increase the amount of PPE to donate.
“I hope that these small acts not only give practical help but also show our support for the NHS across our community – they are doing a great job in a very challenging situation. We are just happy to help where we can.”
The response was so incredible to this post that we were inundated with requests for help and more masks. Here are just a few of the tweets which followed this amazing story.
Supporting The Children of Key Workers
Many of our families with younger children got involved with the Rainbow Challenge, helping to spread some #PositiveVibes. Mrs Thompson, our Nursery and Pre School Manager, who is helping to look after our key worker children at Billinge House, said everyone had a wonderful time being creative and singing whilst having fun and making beautiful rainbow artwork. Bright coloured rainbows and positive messages are adorning windows across Lancashire, raising a smile as people enjoy their daily exercise. #rainbowwindow #frommywindow.
Some students have set up their own campaigns to help support the #NHS creating posters, painting pebbles with the NHS logo and even the Westholme groundsman has got involved – painting ‘thank you NHS’ in the freshly-cut grass.
Our fantastic fundraiser Grace is helping to spread the message about the importance of people staying at home to help save lives and her message was posted on the MacmillanNorthWest Facebook Page. Well done Grace!
We are very proud and humbled to be part of such a strong, resilient and thoughtful community and thank everyone for being a part of our story, now and in the future.
#WestholmeFamily #Stayhomesaveslives #SaveourNHS
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