Teenager helps make face shields for father’s business

A TEENAGER from Peppard has made personal protective equipment for staff at his father’s firm of funeral directors.

Monty Walker, 13, made 25 face shields with his teachers at Shiplake College for AB Walker, which is run by his father Julian and has nine branches including one in Reading Road, Henley.

While none of the branches is open to the public, the staff still visit care homes and hospitals to collect the dead and have to wear masks, gloves, aprons and face shields to ensure they do not contract covid-19.

The face shields can be used more than once if they are decontaminated but the rest of the equipment is single-use.

Mr Walker said: “Monty is very keen on DT, anything to do with making things, and art.

“He was really enthused to be invited into school to be able to actively participate in this project, which is predominantly being delivered by members of staff.

“The college contacted me and said ‘do you need face masks?’ The teacher I was speaking to said Monty could come in and do some of them. I’m very proud and we’re really thankful to everyone at Shiplake.”

Mr Walker, who lives in Church Lane, Peppard, with his wife and three children, runs the business with his brother Matthew, who lives in Goring. It has been in their family for five generations.

He said: “There’s been a massive increase in the number of deaths. We’re doing twice the number of funerals we would normally.

“There are families behind every one of those deaths and it’s worth reminding people that these families are grieving without the ability to give each other a hug. It’s particularly difficult for them at the moment.”