Twelve year-old Esther House has put a family Christmas present to good use by making visors for essential workers.

The Deal girl who is a pupil at Dover Grammar School for Girls, took up the suggestion of her design teacher Jerard Cocker who has himself been making the protective equipment from his home.

Mum Kate, a science teacher at the school, said: "I'm proud of her - everything you can do, you should try to do."

The first people to benefit from Esther's 32 visors were her pharmacist neighbours, whose children were worrying about their susceptibility to Covid-19 by regularly coming into contact with many people in pharmacies across Deal and Walmer.

Mrs House said: "Mr Cocker knew she had an interest in engineering and she mentioned she had a 3d printer.

"He and other teachers found the resources and software for her to download.

"She had to problem solve herself but she worked out the best way to do that for herself. "

The visors have been made with the family's 3D printer and with PVA rolls.

To get the elastic needed for people to fix the shields round their heads, the House family consulted Facebook and the What'sApp group for their street, Clarmont Road.

People kindly put these materials through their door and the family's laminator made the necessary shield part.

From there Esther clipped it all together.

She has made to order from people in need including from Lauriem Complete Care Ltd, a care in the community company in Albert Road, Deal.

"She had to problem solve herself but she worked out the best way to do that for herself..."

They asked for 10 before Easter on Friday for delivery today (Tuesday).

She is making others which she hopes the Cardiac Catheter Suite at William Harvey Hospital in Ashford will make use of, and will carry on making them for as long as she can.

Mrs House added: "You've got to feel like you're doing something at the moment."

Selena Lobb, care co-ordinator at Lauriem Complete Care said: "The visors are greatly received and are very much appreciated. They will protect our staff and the vulnerable people we visit."

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