A CARDIGAN firm is among businesses highlighted by Welsh Government after responding to a nationwide call for action to help supply the NHS and social care with vital equipment.

Craft gin distillery In The Welsh Wind, is making World Health Organisation-approved hand sanitiser from its Gogerddan Arms base to supply the NHS, police, RNLI stations and key workers such as local councils and the Royal Mail.

Minister for Economy, Transport and North Wales, Ken Skates has praised their efforts and urged more companies to join the effort.

Mr Skates said: “There has been an overwhelmingly positive response from the business community and we are seeing new ways of working as businesses switch to making devices and products, which will make a real difference to our health and social care staff.

“I very much welcome the steps businesses have taken so far and encourage more to do the same – if you can, and are able to, please think of the important part role you can play.

“Wales has a wealth of experience, talent and skills and more than ever that will be needed to beat this virus.”

In the Welsh Wind director and co-owner of the distillery Ellen Wakelam said: “As the spread of coronavirus became headline news, we noticed that many people were desperately looking for hand sanitiser.

“We explored how we could make a World Health Organisation (WHO)-approved product and realised that it would be straightforward for us to switch production from gin to hand sanitiser. When Customs and Excise relaxed the licencing rules, enabling us to do so, we immediately began production.”

In keeping with Government Guidance, two of In The Welsh Wind’s permanent employees have been furloughed, and two others are working from home.

Ellen, and fellow director and co-owner Alex Jungmayr, live on site. They are manning production of the hand sanitiser themselves, along with home schooling their son now the schools are closed.

And while production is straightforward, the logistics of obtaining supplies and distributing the finished product are complex.

There is a huge shortage of small individual bottles in the UK at present, so the couple are having to explore alternatives.

“It’s a fast-moving situation,” said Ellen.

“We have been producing small 60 ml spray bottles of hand sanitiser for individuals to use but we’re having to look at other options due to the bottle shortage. We’re also producing it in much larger quantities so organisations can distribute it among their staff and offices/locations as necessary.”

Individuals, organisations and businesses can also donate to support the production of hand sanitiser to help In the Welsh Wind keep production available for all.

First Minister Mark Drakeford, has issued a call to action for Welsh businesses to create a new Welsh supply chain for personal protective equipment (PPE) to support NHS and social care staff, and the Life Sciences Hub Wales is asking industry to support efforts to combat the virus by coming up with new solutions in areas such as infection control.

Ceredigion schools have got involved making PPE with their 3-D laser printers, while Creymych firm Composites Cymru has also taken up the challenge to make protective visors for NHS frontline staff.

Businesses and individuals which want to help should visit businesswales.gov.wales/coronavirus-advice for further information and points of contact.