Necessity is the mother of invention.

And with health care workers and hospitals struggling to keep personal protective equipment (PPE) in stock during the Covid-19 crisis, a community workshop on Cork’s Centre Park Road is rowing in to help

Benchspace, a creative hub that provides affordable access to workbenches and professional standard machinery to hobbyists, learners, makers and designers, is closed to the public for now, but its members have been using their free time to develop protocols, source raw materials and prototype personal protective equipment for health care workers in Cork.

“We’re looking for volunteers with access to 3D printers to assist with the printing of the 3d components (pictured in orange above)” said Benchspace Director David Scannell.

“Please sign up if you are interested in helping and we’ll be in contact as soon as we start production.”

If you have access to a 3D printer, head over to this page to volunteer your time or equipment to the project.