The British Chinese Community Groupdonated 30,000 medical gowns to the Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trustin London on Monday, to help ease the shortage of personal protectiveequipment, or PPE, on the frontline of the United Kingdom's fight against theCOVID-19 disease.

The donation, made under the We Care NHSinitiative, was mainly organized by the London Chinatown Chinese Associationand a local Chinese community group called Zhejiang UK Association.

The donors raised money and collectedmedical supplies from more than 100 local Chinese communities and Chinesepeople in the UK.

Deng Zhuting, president of the LondonChinatown Chinese Association, said during the donation ceremony that thedonated medical supplies represent "the hearts and minds of more than 100Chinese community groups and individuals".

"They would like to show theirappreciation to the NHS during the pandemic and to help in any way to protectthe NHS staff in their selfless endeavor to save lives and beat thevirus," he said.

David Lawson, chief procurement officerfor Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust said: "We are pleased toconfirm receipt of 30,000 protective gowns, essential and timely for our workfighting COVID-19, and to thank the British Chinese Community for this generousdonation."

According to the organizer of theinitiative, about 70,000 surgical masks and other medical equipment is on itsway to the UK.

At present, medical staff in the UK whoare fighting on the frontline against COVID-19 are facing a lack of PPE.According to guidance from Public Health England revealed in the Guardiannewspaper on Friday, healthcare workers have been told to reuse disposable PPE.

On April 8, a donation was made by ChinaChamber of Commerce in the UK, or CCCUK, member, the Bank of China, including20 ventilators and 1.86 million pieces of PPE, to the Lord Mayor's Appeal. Theitems will be passed 

to the National Health Service as well as care homes andto local communities.

Deng Zhuting (second from left),representing the British Chinese Community Group, makes the donation to theGuy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust in London on Monday.