A cyder farm is joining the fight against COVID-19 by supplying urgently required hand sanitiser to Royal Cornwall Hospital, Treliske.

The hospital approached Healeys Cornish Cyder Farm to ask for its help in making the much-needed product to help combat the spread of COVID-19 amid UK shortages.

Under new measures, HMRC is fast-tracking applications so that companies wanting to produce hand sanitising products using 65 per cent high strength alcohol, in accordance with the World Health Organisation recipe, can be quickly authorised, and Healeys were honoured to take up the challenge. 

Healeys will be providing 100 litres a week to Treliske free of charge and are anticipating the need to make more of this product available in bulk for other organisations in need during the Coronavirus pandemic.

Sam Healey, managing director operations said: “It goes without saying that we will do what it takes to help the NHS in Cornwall during these difficult times.  We are using our on-site gin distillery in a new innovative way.

"We’ve been provided with an NHS / World Health Organisation approved recipe to make alcohol-based hand rub and are supplying 100 litres every week to Royal Cornwall Hospital, free of charge starting from today - and for the foreseeable future.”

Piran Clark, quality assurance technician at Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust, added: “As we all know, the NHS is in extraordinary times in regards to the health of vulnerable people across the country but we have been amazed by the incredible support shown to us by businesses in Cornwall to help support us in giving the best possible care we can.

"The speed in which Healey’s has been able to turn around this new hand sanitiser for us has gone a long way in helping us keep those at Royal Cornwall Hospital, Treliske safe from the Coronavirus infection. A massive thank you to Healey’s at this challenging time for us all here in Cornwall.”