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Shuttleworth College staff and students are really demonstrating their community spirit as they have brought cheer and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to the NHS.

Science Teacher Maria Hassan, who has been in school supporting the children of local key-workers, came up with the idea to donate the Science Department’s PPE, including safety goggles, visors and gloves, to Burnley General Hospital as the healthcare system is working so hard to deal with the Coronavirus outbreak. Maria has a special family link to the NHS: her Mum is an Obstetrician at Burnley’s Lancashire Women & Newborn Centre, and so all the donations were delivered there for use across the Hospital.

Students worked hard to organise and clean all the equipment and then spent time creating and writing bright cards and letters to accompany the PPE. The letters and cards are already on display in the Centre and were really appreciated by the hardworking healthcare staff. Maria said, “It’s absolutely vital that we support our NHS at the moment as they are battling with such an infectious virus. We wanted to do something to help and I think our students’ cards and letters have really shown the doctors, midwives, nurses and support staff how appreciated they are and given them a morale boost.”

Students in school have also produced an extra-large rainbow, on display from the Library window, which can be seen from the roadside. Pictured above is Olivia Atkinson and below are: Bella, Jessamy & Dexter Neal, Clarke Schofield and Brandon Whitehead. Please note that the students pictured closely together live together and so do not need to keep their distance from each other, unlike the other students in the photograph.

English teacher Sasha Phillips has also been organising a project for Shuttleworth students to write to those who are currently isolated or who need some cheer during this time. So far, over 30 handmade cards and letters have been sent out into the community. She said, “we’re really pleased that we can bring some cheer to those who might be isolated. We know how hard it can be for people not to be able to see their families and we wanted to play our part to help. We want to keep writing as long as we can, so we’re still accepting nominations via our website and social media channels for people to receive something in the post.”

Headteacher Ruth England said, “Community is one of our five Shuttleworth values. I am always proud of our staff and students, but they have all shown so much positivity, resilience and adaptability at this strange time and they are still thinking of others. We are all playing our part to support our community and I’m pleased that Shuttleworth staff and students have risen to the challenge.”