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Mansfield friends face shield challenge together

Trudi Deans manages the computer science department at West Notts college and at the start of the Coronavirus pandemic decided to put her access to a 3D printer to good use to make face shields.

The college provided support in buying another printer and lots of supplies and the volunteer effort just grew and grew.

After putting a call out on the Mansfield Nottinghamshire Coronavirus (Covid-19) Mutual Aid Group asking for help from those with access to 3D printer technology, Trudi managed to get a team together to cope with demand. 

The team consists of: Trudi Dean, Neil Randle, Ian Taylor, Tim Fisher and Jimmy Sutton, all from Mansfield; Daniel Clover from Mansfield Woodhouse, Andrew Cullington from Shirebrook, Karl Sparham from Church Warsop, Paul Mosley from Warsop Vale, Jack Lowater from Kirkby-in-Ashfield and Stuart Harper, who lives in Clipstone.

Thanks to donations, Trudi and her volunteer colleagues have been able to purchase five further printers, which they intend to donate to local schools when the need for their work is over.

Her initial goal was to make just 40 but, so far, they have supplied almost 3,000 face shields to health care and NHS workers, care homes, funeral directors and, more recently, retail workers.

They set up the GoFundMe account in order to replenish stocks of PLA (used to print) acetate sheets etc. A friend of Trudi’s, Bridgit Hardy, donated all the elastic. They are also using the donations for a fundraiser in memory of Joe Sutton (brother of Jimmy) who sadly died from Covid-19 a few weeks ago. They are also hoping to donate £500 to Crohn’s and Colitis UK who have been a great support to group member, Paul Mosley. 

If you would like to donate, the group’s GoFundMe page is at https://www.gofundme.com/f/3d-printing-during-covid-19-outbreak

Thanks to donations, Trudi and her volunteer colleagues have been able to purchase five further printers, which they intend to donate to local schools when the need for their work is over.