Pedal power boosts production of PPE

Published Friday, 12th June 2020

Fifteen staff from Hartlepool Borough Council Day Services and two service users have taken part in a sponsored exercise bike ride to raise money for protective face masks.

The fundraising event was held from 9am-4pm on Thursday at the Council’s Centre for Independent Living (CIL) in Burbank Street.

This follows the Government’s decision to make it mandatory for people to wear masks on public transport from Monday.

Using an exercise bike borrowed from the town’s Mill House Leisure Centre, participants took turns to get in the saddle - with five-minute intervals built into their planned timetable for cleansing of the bike.

They hope to raise £200 once all sponsorship monies are collected, with the money being used to buy material and elastic for the manufacture of face masks by Handprints Art Studio, which is part of Hartlepool Borough Council Day Services based at the CIL.

Caroline Armstrong, Hartlepool Borough Council’s Day Services Manager, said:  “Parents and carers were asking to buy masks and as more and more requests came in we began to run out of material and elastic. As a result, I came up with the idea of staging the fundraising exercise bike ride and asked people if they were up for the challenge.

“The response from staff and service users was fantastic and the event was another great example of team work by all. Everyone enjoyed themselves so much that we are now looking to do it all again in the near future.”