Frimley trust receives first PPE gowns from Eizo’s collaboration with fashion designer

Anthony Kerslake and Emma Carr of Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust have received the first batch of 300 Ebola-proof, medical grade PPE gowns that have been made through a collaboration between Eizo Limited and couture designer Lynda Yong.

Eizo and Yong partnered with the trust to produce an initial run of at least 8,000 PPE gowns for the NHS, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The second floor of Eizo’s premises in Ascot has been transformed into a temporary sewing workshop. The workshop is able to accommodate up to 25 seamstresses, socially distanced at least three metres apart, who will produce the PPE gowns that are vital in the protection of frontline NHS staff. The space has been rented cost free to the NHS and Lynda Yong by Eizo.

Head of fundraising for Frimley Health Charity Kerslake said: “The charity is thrilled to be working with both the hospital procurement team and the team at Eizo, and is amazed at how the community of local seamstresses has rallied around to each create over 50 PPE gowns a day.”

Having sourced PPE approved material from Bolton manufacturer TKX Insulations Excellence, the aim is to produce up to 500 gowns a day, with daily deliveries to the Frimley trust.

Consultant orthopaedic surgeon Mr Callum Clark has been liaising with the team on behalf of the trust and said: “The local Scrubs Glorious Scrubs campaign that Lynda initiated was a fantastic demonstration of how much the community is willing to help the NHS at this time, and due to her connections and drive, she has been able to source material suitable for the PPE gowns.

“To now also be working with Eizo, a local company, is great for us and really groundbreaking.”

Lead picture: The Eizo team with a shipment of PPE gowns. All images courtesy of Katherine Woodley.

Published on page 6 of the May 2020 issue of RAD Magazine.