Earlier today Beachbeat shaper Markie Lascelles shared a message on social media, received via his Instagram asking if he had any spare shaping masks he could donate to the staff at an intensive care unit.

The message, whose sender has been kept anonymous, read:

“Hi Markie,
This is a really random question, but I manage intensive care at the hospital and we are desperately looking for spare respirator masks, the same ones you use when shaping boards. I was just wondering if you had any new spare ones or would know anyone that would?”

Photo Leon Poultney

After just a few hours Markie’s post has already received comments from shapers from based around the south keen to donate. However, we presume the hospital still needs as many as they can get their hands on.

A little later, we received the following message from a hospital who similarly wished to remain anonymous:

“How we can we as surfers and bodyboarder’s help those in frontline NHS roles and those working in the care sector? As we all know low supplies of personal protection equipment (PPE) is a very real issue, to those folks bravely trying to treat the sick and help the needy.”

If you as a surfboard shaper, ding repair dude, trades person, a business that has unused PPE equipment or anyone, even if you have one unused mask in the garage, left over from your bad attempt at DIY. If you are able to help, l have listed some hospitals in my area of the country, the south west below with contact details. The phone numbers listed are the main contact numbers for the switchboard, if they can’t think where to connect you to, ask for procurement or logistics dept. Please have to hand details, makes, descriptions of the items you wish to donate, masks, glasses, googles, suits etc.

If you live outside of the south west, spare a few minutes on the interweb and try to reach out to your local hospital or care home etc and see if you can help out with PPE in your area.

Somerset Social care & care homes: E: [email protected]

North Devon District Barnstaple: Tel: 01271 322577  E: [email protected]

Derriford Hospital Plymouth: E: [email protected]

Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital Tel: 01392 411611

Treliske Hospital Truro: Tel: 01872 250000

Torbay Hospital: [email protected], or tel: 01803 396399

Keep up the PMA and hope to see everyone back in the sea soon.”