A furniture maker from East Oxford is appealing for businesses to donate spare face masks and other protective gear to help NHS staff in the fight against coronavirus.

Michael Buick, who lives in Florence Park and runs Pegg Furniture, has launched an online campaign to crowd source the vital supplies which could save lives in the coming weeks if NHS stocks run low.

He said: “My partner is an intensive care nurse at the John Radcliffe Hospital, and so the shortage of PPE equipment - face masks, eye shields etc - really hit home to me. I wanted to do something.

"I know there are many businesses and workshops around the country with a box here, two boxes there, which could be vital in the weeks ahead to protect our frontline medical teams.”

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His website donateyourPPE.uk explains what PPE is approved by the NHS for use, with the most important being PPF3 face masks.

Other protective items include disposable gloves, face shields, gowns with sleeves and hand sanitiser or wipes.

Mr Buick said: “While the Government has announced this week a large shipment of PPE has arrived and is getting rushed out to NHS staff, there is no guarantee how long it will last. The whole world wants this equipment, and we have to find every last piece we have in case it is needed in the coming weeks and months.”

Businesses can leave contact details and information about what they can donate and a team of volunteers will then help manage logistics of getting the donations to where they are most needed.