Elle and L'Oréal are the latest manufacturing giants to turn their attentions to helping frontline NHS staff throughout the Covid-19 crisis.
The personal care giant is using its Manchester distribution centres to send free hygiene products to frontline NHS staff, while Cheshire-based tights maker Elle has halted all production to instead make 350,000 not-for-profit face masks a week.
On Thursday, L'Oréal said it was implementing a series of measures for communities most impacted by the crisis.
The group and its family of brands will donate more than half a million hygiene products and hand sanitisers to frontline healthcare workers in 海角视频 and Ireland serving the most vulnerable people and striving to curb the pandemic.
Distrubution centres involved in the efforts include those in Bury and Trafford.
The group will donate a further 300,000 free hand sanitisers to frontline retail staff that is ensuring availability of essential goods and services to communities across 海角视频 and Ireland.
Meanwhile, family-run, hosiery business Elle announced on Thursday that it has switched all its manufacturing capabilities from the production of tights to washable face masks to ease the demand on medical equivalents for frontline healthcare staff across the 海角视频.
Elle can produce 350,000 masks per week that are designed to be comfortable to wear, and are washable, so very eco-friendly.
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The unisex masks can be washed up to 25 times, and are constructed from a double layered material, which has antimicrobial properties. The masks are also given additional antimicrobial and water-repellent treatments, meaning if someone coughs or sneezes nearby there is protection from the droplets in the air.
The factory usually makes over 12 million pairs of tights a year, and Elle has taken the nous from a sister business, ATOM Compression Wear, which makes medical grade socks, sleeves and shapewear.
Anja Khan, chief executive at Elle, said: “It’s important that all businesses do their bit to support all efforts to fight Covid 19, and we are no different.
“With such a huge demand on surgical masks for frontline health care professionals we wanted to ease this strain and supply an ‘every day’ option as part of social distancing guidelines.
“So instead of making tights we are now making masks. This isn’t a commercial decision, but the right thing to do. Something at Elle we have always taken great pride in.
“That’s why from a cost perspective we are making just enough money to cover our costs, keep our colleagues in jobs and in turn, support their families."
Elsewhere, an organisation focused on getting people involved in cycling has pledged to provide more than 100 of its hire bikes to NHS staff across Merseyside hospitals.
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Social enterprise HYPE Merseyside has announced it will deliver 100 bikes to frontline NHS workers over the next month, after their initial offer to staff from Arrowe Park Hospital in Wirral was met by an overwhelming response.
Sixty applications for the first 100 bikes were received in just 48 hours from NHS employees living within five miles of the hospital.
The main reasons cited for wanting access to one of the donated bikes were to save money by not having to take taxis when public transport wasn’t available.
HYPE is now inviting other NHS workers from Merseyside to apply for a bike and has launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise £20,000.
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Matthew Houghton, chief executive at HYPE Merseyside, said: “We believe that the NHS staff working tirelessly across the region in the face of the Covid-19 outbreak are true heroes, the real ‘pride of Merseyside’ and we wanted to find a way to show our appreciation and help them during this crisis.
“Providing 100 bikes from our existing fleet was an immediate and obvious way that we could help. However, it quickly became clear that the demand was far greater than our initial supply.
“With the help of the people of Merseyside, we can use our network and expertise to go even further and source more bikes, providing more frontline workers with free, healthy and safe transport.”