A LOCAL rotary club member has, at the age of 86, coordinated the delivery of thousands of face shields and masks to care homes throughout South Yorkshire.
Lewis Atkinson is the most senior member of Wortley Rotary Club and a retired canon who once conducted services at St Leonard’s Church.
On the outbreak of Covid-19, the group discussed ways to help homes in the local area which they had links with.
As Lewis said, the area the group decided to cover would quickly expand to cover not only Barnsley and Sheffield, but Wakefield, Doncaster and Huddersfield.
He estimates he’s now overseen the deliveries of close to 2,000 face shields and 3,000 cloth masks made by local volunteers.
“Over the years, I’ve organised carol singing and other things at local nursing homes, and suggested we ring those homes to see if they needed anything,” Lewis, who lives in Chapeltown, said.
“I then realised the Care Quality Commission hold details for every home and started to pull those out.
“I do it every day, taking ten homes and ringing them.
“It’s not only the big care homes and hospitals that need help, the smalller ones have needs too.
“If I take something on, I try to extend it throughout my life – it’s a driving force in many people if they allow it to happen.”
Club member John Evans, from Ardsley, added: “Lewis is a lovely man who is working tirelessly making sure care homes have the PPE which we are able to help source.
“To be doing so much at his age is a great achievement.”
