Coronavirus: Worthing salon owner offers to give protective masks and gloves to those in need

A salon owner in Worthing has offered to donate protective masks and gloves to those who need them amid the coronavirus outbreak.
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Emma Wright runs Vanilla Pod Beauty in Broadwater Street East, Worthing, and took the difficult decision to temporarily close the business recently after cases of Covid-19 rose across the United Kingdom and the Government ordered pubs and restaurants to shut to prevent the spread of the disease.

As the salon does beauty treatments which include botox, fillers and eyebrow tattooing, staff use PPE, or personal protective equipment: gloves, masks and aprons like those used in hospitals.

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The 31-year-old from Worthing wants to donate their stocks to care homes, community health workers or any person whose job involves them coming into contact with the public to keep them safe.

Emma Wright wants to donate protective gloves and masks to those who need themEmma Wright wants to donate protective gloves and masks to those who need them
Emma Wright wants to donate protective gloves and masks to those who need them

She said: "We did a huge glove order that arrived last week, when we didn't know how long we would be open for. I thought it was so ridiculous that we have so much stock lying in our cupboards when there are so many people writing on Facebook asking for gloves and aprons.

"What is 50 or 100 quid to us when they could be used by people who need them?"

Emma said she approached Worthing Hospital with a donation, but was politely told that the strict rules surrounding supply to the NHS meant they could not accept it.

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However, after posting her appeal on social media, the beauty specialist said several care homes and businesses had made enquiries or accepted her support.

She called on other salons, hairdressers and tattoo parlours to donate their stocks as well.

The managing director said in 11 years of business, this was one of the toughest times they had encountered.

She said: "It was upsetting to have to do it and to tell 10 people that they don't have any work for the next few months."

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She added that the jobs of her 10 staff members were secure and she said work experience placements would resume once things were back to normal.

Tomorrow (March 24), Emma will be at the salon from 12pm to 1pm to supervise a drop-off session. There will be a plastic box outside the salon where PPE stocks can be deposited.

To get involved or find out more, contact Emma via the Vanilla Pod Beauty Facebook page or email [email protected].