Where to Ski And Snowboard - Donate ski goggles to the NHS

Donate ski goggles to the NHS

16th April 2020, by Abi Butcher

GogglesforDocsUK needs ski goggles for NHS workers who have no eye protection

An organisation set up to gather ski goggles for NHS staff in the UK is appealing for skiers and snowboarders to donate used or new eyewear.

The initiative, GogglesforDocsUK, is collecting used or new ski goggles for NHS workers who currently have no eye protection. It mirrors “Goggles4Docs” in the US, where more than 28,000 ski goggles have been donated to healthcare workers who are short of PPE.

The UK effort was set up last weekend, with the backing of TV presenter and snowboarder Ed Leigh, who said last week on his Instagram account: “Right snow users, do you have a set(s) of goggles laying around that could be saving lives? Your old goggles could save lives, it’s super easy to send them and you can ensure they go where they’re needed. Thanks in advance from all the Dr’s [sic] and nurses.”

There are already around 100 goggles on their way to both PPE4NHS at their depo in Nottinghamshire, and MedSupplyDrive, which has range of logistics options for PPE delivery. Details on how to donate are available on GogglesforDocsUK, along with clear instructions on how to sanitise and pack your goggles before you send them in the post. Organisers also suggest it is worth contacting your local GP and / or care home or hospice to ask if they are in need and accepting donations.

A spokesman for GogglesforDocsUK told Where to Ski & Snowboard: “Goggles are mainly being donated through MedSupplyDrive who have a database of requests from hospitals and so goggles go to where there is the most need.

“We are now trying to urgently get in touch with ski shops and brands to help as if they can donate in bulk, this is of course where we can make the most impact.”

And if you are an NHS healthcare provider and need goggles and other vital PPE, it’s possible to place a request at medsupplydrive.org.uk/make-a-request