Coronavirus: Adnams to supply alcohol to UEA to help production of hand sanitiser for NHS

Suffolk brewer Adnams is turning its distillery over to the production of hand sanitiser in the fight against coronavirus.

The Southwold-based company will be supplying alcohol to the University of East Anglia (UEA), who make hand sanitiser for the NHS and social care workers.

Having increased production, the university have been appealing for companies to help with the supply of ethanol, as well as other elements like plastic bottles.

Read more: Anglia region to benefit from creation of 10,000 jobs to battle Coronavirus outbreak

Fergus Fitzgerald, the head brewer at Adnams, said the company have been looking at ways they can help combat the spread of coronavirus.

He said: “It’s important that we all do what we can to help one another. We looked into the best way to make hand sanitiser, working with the great team at UEA was the quickest and simplest way we could help.”

Norfolk's Lord Lieutenant, Lady Dannatt, shared the UEA's appeal for assistance on Monday

Adnams join several other local businesses supporting the UEA - Wild Knight distillery in West Norfolk is also providing ethanol, while Beccles-based RPC M&H Plastics is supplying bottles.

The UEA's Pro-Vice Chancellor for Science, Professor Mark Searcey, said production would have had to be halted had they not received help.

He added: "We’re hugely grateful for the help and generosity from Adnams – we put the call out to help our colleagues in the NHS and they have answered.

“Simply put, we would not be able to continue our hand sanitiser production without support from local businesses sharing the necessary resources, so Adnams’ contribution here is absolutely vital.

"We’re still very keen to hear from other local businesses with access to materials used in making or storing the gel, particularly ethanol, at ueahscp@uea.ac.uk.”