Charities and healthcare bodies across North East Wales are benefitting from antibacterial wet wipes thanks to key workers at a Flint manufacturer.

Staff at Nice-Pak International have launched a new product in just two weeks – and are donating packs along with their ‘Sani Hands’ antibacterial hand wipes to hospices, NHS bodies, Flintshire housing and care homes to help them in the fight against COVID-19.

Donations have been made to care homes including Rhiwlas Care Home, Bod Hyfryd Care Home (both Flint), Llys Medig Care Home (Denbigh), Hafod y Green (Trefnant) and Fern Lodge (Chester).

Nice-Pak employees also delivered packs to Flintshire housing, Hope House Hospice, Nightingale House Hospice, Wrexham NHS Command Centre, Flintshire health and social care workers and residents at Flint tower blocks.

The contribution comes after an increase in demand for hygiene products due to the coronavirus, in particular antibacterial wipes used both in and out of the home.

Deborah Thatcher, HR director at Nice-Pak, said: “We received numerous requests from colleagues and external healthcare organisations for donations to the community.

“As a result, our teams worked incredibly hard to produce a new antibacterial wipe in just two weeks and donated thousands of packs around the region. Developing and manufacturing a new product can take months, so to complete it in 14 days is a record for the business and reflects the passion of our people to help our communities.

“We are really pleased to be able to offer our help during this crisis and hope they play a role in keeping people safe.”

One of the beneficiaries, Tracy Livingstone, director of nursing and patient services at Nightingale House in Wrexham, said: “In these unprecedented times it is humbling for the team at the hospice to have this fantastic support of our work.

“Knowing that the team at Nice-Pak are helping us in looking after the patients and families in our care as well as our staff members means a great deal to us.”

John Roberts owner of the Llys Meddig Care Home in Denbigh said: “The much-needed wipes will be of significant use to our caring team of nurses, support workers, kitchen and housekeeping staff.

“They will enable them to feel safe on shift when wanting to apply a quick method of protection in-between hand washing procedures.”

Susie Lunt, senior manager of integrated services, lead adults at Flintshire County Council, said: “Nice-Pak’s kind donation of PPE is being allocated in a co-ordinated approach to health and social care workers across Flintshire who continue to support our older and vulnerable residents.”

Nice-Pak International is the world’s largest wet wipe manufacturer

It produces wet wipes on behalf of global brands and retailers, and its products include baby wipes, cosmetic wipes, moist toilet tissue and household cleaning wipes.

In Europe, Nice-Pak has been established for more than 30 years and employs 900 people across three factories in Flint, Wigan and Germany.