A group of Newquay Tretharras students and student teachers have been working with Teacher of Design and Technology, Mr P Vittle to make face visors for key workers in the Newquay community.

The task was initiated when Mr Vittle was approached by Year 11 student Tom Jolley, to try to make a small batch of visors for vulnerable key workers.

Through research and by looking at visors made in other schools that use 3D printers, they soon realised that 3D printing was too slow a manufacturing process. To resolve it, they designed a solution that is much quicker and makes use of the school’s laser cutter.

The process is simple and effective; the laser cutter is used to cut a 3mm acrylic sheet that forms the head band. The head band is then heated and formed into a curved shape before attaching a screen and elastic strap. This design and manufacturing process enables the team to make up to 50 visors per hour.

The team made up of Mr Vittle, Jayne Ledder, Ella Whayman, Anna Cubeddu, Tom Jolly, Katie Jolley, Jamie Deadman, Emma Deadman and Trent Dews meet at Newquay Tretherras twice a week and have to date, distributed over 800 visors to key workers in the community. They have been provided to care homes, pharmacies, supermarkets and care workers.

The team have been awarded a £500 grant from Newquay Council towards the cost of materials and are fund raising via a JustGiving page. Responding to the Facebook Post, Parc Signs in St. Austell donated some materials to help continue the manufacture of this vital piece of equipment.

The feedback has been really positive and people have praised the comfortable fit and ease of use.

Community support has also been incredibility with £2,2025 donated so far, enabling the manufacturing of visors to continue.

Mr Vittle explained, ‘We have developed a design which can be made quickly and cheaply unlike other 3D printed solutions – it costs £2 to make each mask and we have also shared out our computer aided design file to other makers around the world.’

Mr Vittle commented, ‘I really want to thank everyone who has so kindly donated money. I also want to thank the team who have been fantastic and very dedicated to the project.’

Ms Ollerenshaw, Head of Year 10 and teacher of Design & Technology, has also been busy using her skills to help front line key workers.

Ms Ollerenshaw has a vast knowledge of textiles and has used that experience to make scrubs for the South West Children’s Hospice, Little Harbour.

MS Ollerenshaw explained, ‘I have been sewing for 50 years. Today I finished off 2 pairs of scrubs for Little Harbour and I have sewn really carefully. I have been anxious to make sure everything is perfect.’

Determined to make the best scrubs possible for the nursing staff of Little Harbour, Ms Ollerenshaw, is now all set to make more.

If you are able to support this project and help protect our local health care workers, please search for JustGiving Tretherras Face Visor to donate.

The direct link is: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/tretherrasfacevisor

The design can be downloaded for free from www.floorhandle.co.uk