An Armley business has been working to help supply NHS Nightingale hospitals with equipment during the Coronavirus pandemic.
Perry Uniform, at Carr Crofts, has been working with Morley’s Herida Healthcare to manufacture and supply specialist mattresses and mattress covers to new emergency hospitals being created around the country in the fight against coronavirus.
An initial order was made to Herida Healthcare, who are a healthcare manufacturer, to supply specialist air-pump mattresses to the Nightingale hospital in London.
But with more orders constantly coming in due to the development of additional Nightingale hospitals across the country, they desperately needed extra resources to support with the manufacturing of covers for the mattresses.
With the help of Leeds City Council, Perry Uniform were joined up with Herida Healthcare to help supply the specialist mattress covers.
Perry Uniform typically specialise in the manufacturing of school uniforms but with the assistance of Herida Healthcare, who supplied them with patterns and fabric, were able to start manufacturing the covers. They have already produced 500 covers in just over three days.
Although a number of Perry Uniform’s staff were furloughed, initially due to lack of demand, the remaining staff worked over the bank holidays in order to meet targets. All staff are wearing PPE and carrying out social distancing.
Bernard Bunting, managing director of Perry Uniform, said:
“In this national emergency, when approached by Herida, we immediately saw a good opportunity to collaborate in supporting the amazing NHS.
“The Perry team were hugely proud to be able to play a small part in this national effort. This was such a productive three way collaboration facilitated by the council.”
Leader of Leeds City Council, Councillor Judith Blake, said:
“The collaboration of Herida Healthcare and Perry Uniform is a perfect example of how well Leeds comes together as a city in hard times, and how adaptable our businesses are, large and small.
“UK manufacturing will be a crucial part of tackling this crisis, and I am sure there are others playing their part to that we are yet to hear about. I am extremely proud to see local businesses doing their bit to help the national effort and I’d like to say a massive thank you to the staff at both of these businesses, and all our essential workers across the city, who are working tirelessly to help in the fight against coronavirus.”
NHS Nightingale Hospitals are critical care field hospitals, being set up or scheduled for set up by NHS England as part of the response to the COVID-19 epidemic.
The first of these hospitals to open was the NHS Nightingale Hospital London, with others being set upo across the country, including Harrogate.
Perry Uniform used to be known as Perry Clothes and was formerly based in the former cinema at the bottom of Carr Crofts, which was converted into flats a few years ago.
For advice and support in relation to coronavirus, please visit this website.