3-D Help In Time Of Need

Year 8 Boys’ School student, James Hunter is a self-professed ‘tinkerer’ and actively enjoys being engaged in projects, especially if they include some engineering.

During the COVID-19 Alert Level 4 Lockdown, he saw a news item on television putting out the call for volunteers with access to 3D printers to assist in creating PPE type face shields to protect front line staff who worked for ‘essential services.’  

James made contact through the website of ‘ShieldsUp,’ an initiative bringing volunteer workers into a virtual space to assist, and received a 3D printing file in return, to produce the head pieces that support the shields. James said it took approximately two hours to print the band for each head piece, adhering to the conditions set out by ShieldsUp. He had also received the laser cut face masks from another source and assembled these to the bands he had created to strict specifications.

James said he had a sense of accomplishment doing this work, knowing that at this difficult time for health workers, he was playing a part in keeping them safe. Having assembled and packed 24 completed face shields, he was proud to deliver them to Ascot Radiology near his home, chosen from a suggested list of centres grateful to receive extra supplies.

Service plays an important part of a Saint Kentigern education and we encourage our students to look for ways they can offer help in meaningful ways. Well done James for stepping up to help in a time of need.