Concerned staff at Edge Hill University provided emergency supplies to a local NHS Trust so that medics could continue to sanitise and test surgical masks in the fight against COVID-19.

It's just one of a series of measures the University's taken to help combat the coronavirus pandemic, including offering accommodation to NHS and police staff who need to self-isolate, and providing an online learning hub to support schools and families while classrooms are closed.

Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust contacted Edge Hill to see if they could help with an urgent request for Isopropyl 99% alcohol as the trust had run out and was waiting on more supplies.

University staff from Bio Sciences and Campus Security were spurred into action, rapidly found what was needed and within minutes were able to deliver it to the trust.

Vice-Chancellor Dr John Cater (pictured) said: “I’m proud that our teams were so responsive to this urgent request; without their speedy actions the hospital wouldn’t have been able to continue to sanitise and test the surgical masks on the same day and this is so important for them to be able carry on with this work during the COVID-19 outbreak.

“This is just one of many acts of kindness and support I’m seeing from our EdgeHill community, and staff, students, alumni and partners have my sincere gratitude for pulling together and helping one another in a time of such unprecedented uncertainty.”

Edge Hill says it is also playing a broader role in society to help during the crisis caused by the coronavirus, and it's:

- Offered to house any member of the NHS, police or other key service who is required to self-isolate from their families to enable them to keep working, in response to the Lancashire Local Resilience Service call-out;

- Agreed to release, on full pay, any professionally qualified member of staff who wishes to temporarily rejoin the NHS workforce;

- Donated vital personal protection equipment (PPE) to local NHS trusts, including gel, aprons and masks;

- Launched an online learning hub to support schools, families and partners while classroom teaching is halted: https://www.edgehill.ac.uk/education...nkstolearning/

- Supported new sign-ups from students and staff in response to the Government’s call-out for volunteers;

- academic publishers have offered libraries additional ‘free’ access to e-book and e-journal collections for a temporary period: https://www.edgehill.ac.uk/ls/covid-...g-you-updated/