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An AYR community hub is fundraising to make face visors for the NHS.

Tsukure Commercial, a community interest and printing company in Ayr, are responding to the NHS call for more PPE supplies amid the Covid-19 outbreak.

Tsukure discovered they could laser-cut face visors in super speedy time to provide local NHS hospitals Crosshouse and Ayr Central with protective PPE face visors. They can mass produce the visors but are now appealing for donations to cover the cost of materials.

Printing staff smashed their target of £350 in 24 hours and have now raised it to £700.

Ewan Shields, owner at Tsukure, said: “We have been contacted by the NHS to produce larger quantities of the masks. Using our current technique, we can produce 8,000 a week if we can get funding for materials.

“We’re also applying for more funding from various government initiatives which will allow us to purchase more lasers which could double or even triple our output. We could potentially then churn out 96,000 masks a week or half a million a month.

“Each visor cost £3.50 in materials. All going well, we can save lives for less than a fiver.”

Face visors offer the best protection against droplets which are the most likely cause of coronavirus.

Ewan said if other companies work to NHS requirements in a similar way, the hospitals will be more able to tackle the disease head on.

Tsukure are also attempting to 3D print ear defenders for nurses on the frontline of coronavirus.

Ewan said: “We managed to find a 3D design that people can download from the website for free. Anyone with a 3D printer can print the hooks and they will help protect nurses. If anyone with a 3D printer in Ayr wants to do this and get them into us, we can get them to where they’re needed.

“If people can spare a fiver here and there, it’ll go a long way.”

You can find out more information about Tsukure’s NHS appeal via their Facebook page.