Stafford-based Addmaster is working in partnership with The Steve Bull Foundation to deliver more than 300 of its antimicrobial products to hospitals across the region, including County Hospital in Stafford and New Cross in Wolverhampton.

The company wanted to provide a proven solution to prevent care heroes spending their precious downtime making their own bags that they subsequently use to carry potentially contaminated uniforms back home.

The Addmaster bags benefit from inbuilt Biomaster technology, which makes them antimicrobial for the life of the bag and reduces the possibility of cross contamination from harmful bacteria each time they are reused. They are also better for the environment because they reduce the need for single-use plastic bags.

“Our Biomaster technology is used extensively in healthcare and continues to be a valuable tool in breaking the chain of infection in these critical environments,” explained Paul Morris, Founder & CEO of Addmaster.

“When we heard that NHS and care staff were having to use makeshift bags to transport their uniforms around, we knew that we had to provide them with a better alternative that would be safer for them and their families.”

He continued: “We immediately made available 300 of our ‘bags for life’ and, working with Steve Bull and his team, set about delivering them to County and New Cross hospitals in the West Midlands.

“It’s only a small gesture, but if it stops just one of our heroes from working at home, whilst giving them peace of mind that contamination is being reduced, then it’s worth it.”

Addmaster’s ‘bag for life’, which was recently awarded the prestigious Queen’s Award for Innovation, can be found in many UK retailers, such as M&S, Morrisons and Asda, as well as in international outlets in Australia and South Africa.

In addition to donating bags to local hospitals, the firm has been providing Biomaster-protected coatings, screens, nurses scrubs and PPE equipment to support social care and the NHS, including the new Nightingale Hospitals.