RGS Worcester staff have been busy supporting the national call for assistance with providing equipment to the NHS.

The school's design and technology department submitted a design for face visor masks and received the go-ahead to start production. Using a laser cutter, a prototype was made and trialled by an RGS parent who is a medical worker and proved successful.

Initially, the sourcing of polypropylene to make the visors was a challenge but a trip to Leicester to collect this material and the production of visors is now underway.

Over 100 visors have been made with the aim of producing 600.

Gwilym Batchelder, head of design technology, said: “We looked at using 3D printing for the visors but this was going to take 4-5 hours per visor. We then modified the design and changed to using the laser-cutter which is a much faster process. We are hoping to produce several hundred of these visors for the NHS over the next few weeks. I would like to recognise the efforts of my colleagues and in particular Mr Robin Holt, who has helped me throughout.”

In addition, at the beginning of the week, the four RGS Worcester schools supplied 338 sets of goggles from the Science and Design Technology departments for use by NHS medics.

Headmaster, John Pitt, said: “It is great that we are able to use some of the School’s resources to support the NHS at this critical time.

“As well as providing education for Key Workers’ children, the supply of the goggles and visors, I hope, will make a difference, and provide much-needed support for those on the front line.”