Pymble community feeds seven women’s shelters

Thursday 30 April, 2020

Domestic violence shelters have reported an overwhelming increase of women and children seeking a safe place to live during the COVID-19 isolation period.

Since launching Pymble Gives Back, our Pymble family stepped up to the plate (literally) to provide enough meals and donations of supplies to feed a staggering seven shelters across Sydney. These are being delivered three times each week.

As well as donating baked treats and homecooked meals, volunteers are continuing with the weekly fruit and vegetable packing in St Ives and delivering these to Hornsby and Parramatta Women’s shelters.

The shelters have expressed their gratitude to the College and shared how they have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support from our community.

Items were also kindly donated from our community to our sister school, Margaret Jurd College, who are so grateful for our help during these challenging times.

Out of the kitchen, in response to reports of personal protective equipment (PPE) shortages for Australian healthcare workers, Pymble IT and TAS staff have also put our 3D machines to good use by producing up to 30 face shields per day.

Without PPE, frontline workers tackling the pandemic are forced to construct their own shields to protect themselves from transmission of the highly infectious virus.

Mr Peter Ellis, Pymble’s Head of Learning Area – TAS, said more than 250 masks had been produced.

“Collectively, on the campus we have ten 3D printers that have been gathered and set up in the Design and Technology workshop,” said Mr Ellis.

“Staff from TAS and the IT Department have worked in collaboration to ensure masks are continuing to be produced even during the holiday period.”

Each mask takes approximately three hours to print before a clear plastic screen is cut by hand and assembled. Once all shields have been completed, they are cleaned and sent to hospitals in need of extra protective equipment.

Our 3D machines are producing up to 30 face shields per day