Keeping Us Connected: EDF supplies thousands of masks to key workers

As part of our Keeping Us Connected campaign, Utility Week wants to showcase the work being done by the sector during the pandemic. Several of EDF’s nuclear sites have donated more than 10,000 facemasks to help keep the community’s key workers safe.

Somerset nuclear power stations Hinkley Point B and C have donated 8,000 face masks to Taunton’s Musgrove Park hospital.

The sites have previously donated hundreds of eye protectors to Williton Surgery and Musgrove Park Hospital, as well as 1,000 face masks for Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service.

Workers are supporting the wider community by volunteering in a number of different ways. Some are helping care homes and isolated elderly people whilst one worker, Debbie Ison, has joined the Taunton Scrubbers group who are sewing scrubs and masks for frontline NHS staff. The group has received a £500 donation from Hinkley Point C.

Meanwhile Hunterston B, located in the West of Scotland, has donated around 1,000 facemasks to Ayrshire Cancer Support, the Ayrshire Hospice and district nurse teams in Largs and Troon.

Workers and volunteers with these organisations are in contact with some of the most vulnerable people in the community. The donation will help ensure those supporting the organisations and their patients are protected during the Covid-19 outbreak.

Hunterston has previously given 1000 masks to CrossReach, which runs care homes for the Church of Scotland.

Station director, Paul Forrest, said: “We have been able to release some of our stock of PPE for use in the community as part of our efforts to support the local Covid-19 response.

“The people working and volunteering for these organisations do an important job and I’m pleased to have been able to give them some support at this time.”

Nicola George, from Ayrshire Cancer Support, said: “The donation of masks to Ayrshire Cancer Support has been invaluable, particularly as we haven’t been able to source any ourselves. They are being used by our volunteer drivers who take immunosuppressed patients to hospital for their cancer treatment.

“By our drivers wearing masks, it significantly reduces the risk of infection being passed to these extremely vulnerable individuals. We can’t thank you enough EDF for helping to protect the most vulnerable in our community.”

Keeping Us Connected is a new series from Utility Week in which we highlight the achievements of employees across the utilities sector in getting the UK through lockdown. To nominate a member of your team for recognition, please email jameswallin@fav-house.com.