Rising to the challenge of COVID-19

We’d love to keep sharing our exciting developments in the Global Good community with you, but you’ll need to ‘opt-in’ to our communications. Read more about how we protect your data here >>

Rising to the challenge of COVID-19

Since the pandemic struck and lockdown began, life in the UK has changed beyond recognition. And yet while so much seems currently on hold, the way some familiar names to us here at the Global Good Awards have swung into action has been remarkable.

“It’s been heartening and inspiring to read about so many of our sponsors and partners around the country proving so nimble and agile in responding to the COVID-19 crisis,” says Karen Sutton, CEO, Global Good Awards. “They’re all bringing a lot of light into a very dark time.”

REVIVE
GGA joint headline sponsor Revive – the sustainable paper brand part of the Denmaur portfolio – has partnered with Connections, the e-commerce and inserts sampling arm of independent media agency The Specialist Works and Go Inspire Group to launch a pro-bono campaign for the National Emergencies Trust. The 1.5m inserts campaign aims to drive online donations to support those affected by the coronavirus pandemic. Revive has donated 8 tonnes worth of 150gm2 gloss paper to the campaign, Carbon Balanced through the World Land Trust.

CH&CO
Teams from GGA joint headline sponsor CH&CO have been working round the clock mobilising the catering function for two new temporary hospitals: Harrogate NHS Nightingale Hospital and Dragon’s Heart Hospital in Cardiff. The hospital at the Harrogate Convention Centre was built in under three weeks and will provide care for 500 patients. Dragon’s Heart Hospital is usually home to the Principality Stadium and has the capacity for 2,000 additional beds. The company says: “We could not be more proud of everyone involved and the work of the NHS.”

CANON MEDICAL EUROPE
Canon Medical Europe has increased its production capacity to meet the increased demand for its CT scan units. It is now able to deliver multiple units per week.

THE PLANET MARK
Sponsors of the Climate Action of the Year category, The Planet Mark, has put together The Planet Mark Home Worker Package designed to give essential tips to help people seamlessly transition to working from home. “Engaging the best of nature, people and technology, the package helps tackle shared obstacles and bring people closer together,” it maintains.
Covering mental well-being, children’s activities, tips for choosing the right home office technology and carbon saving advice (the more time we’re spending at home, the more energy we’re likely to use) you can download it here.

CISCO
In response to the dire need for more personal protective equipment for health service workers, CISCO has been involved in a local project (in Reading where the tech giant is based) producing protective face visors.
The initiative began with Alex Gibson of Edumaker, a 3D printing company in Reading offering to donate his knowledge and printers to help print protective face visors. He got in touch with an online engineering community in Reading, that has tools for the members of the local community to use. Matthew Richards, a product engineering manager for Cisco, along engineers from RACE, a business unit of the UK Atomic Energy Authority, offered their support. Reading University and Oxford Academic Health Science Network also agreed to be networking partners.
Matthew is an NHS Community First Responder with South Central Ambulance Service, as well as an engineer, so he was happy to help lead the project. With Cisco’s facilities and resources, he’s been able to set up a ‘safe environment’ 24/7 printing facility with over thirty 3D printers that have been donated by Alex and other members of the local community. One hundred and thirteen Cisco volunteers were also trained and worked shifts this past week to produce the face visors.
Seventeen local GP surgeries are now using the face visors and distributing them to other health service providers in the area. The project is currently printing 300+ visors a day, to help support local NHS trusts.

COOL EARTH
2018 GGA winner, Cool Earth, has come up with a guide of Cool Things to do at Home to help ‘bring the outside in’. Activities include nature quizzes, colouring-in downloads, make-and-do ideas (such as a rainforest mobile) and a wonderful ‘take a moment’ video (definitely sound on!)
You can access it here.

CHEEKY PANDA
GGA 2019 winner and recently voted Product of the Year 2020, Cheeky Panda has been putting its 100% biodegradable toilet rolls and tissues to even better use with a generous donation to Dare to Care Packages, a new organisation sending care packages to key workers and people who usually fall through the cracks in large-scale charity responses such as vulnerable women with frequent address changes, refugees and migrants with specialised delivery sensitivities, immunocompromised people on the verge of qualifying for official help. Bravo!

TOTM
2020 GGA finalist in the Best Start Up category TOTM, an ethical and sustainable period care brand, has donated over 21,000 period products to NHS staff to try and make their lives a little bit easier while they put themselves on the frontline. It says it wants to continue supporting and uplifting the community and is planning further donations to Help for NHS Heroes alongside Tesco.