Former pro footballer Dexter Blackstock turns 34 on Wednesday May 20, but rather than celebrating his birthday he's leading the fight to provide personal protective equipment (PPE) to those in care homes and NHS staff during the coronavirus pandemic.
*Article first published April 22, 2020
From playing up front for some of the EFL’s biggest clubs to helping on the frontline, it has been a huge shift for the 34-year-old, who retired in 2017.
A name best known for his time with Nottingham Forest and QPR, Blackstock is now CEO and founder of MediConnect, a pharmaceutical firm in the blockchain industry, now essentially performing as a middle man between manufacturers/wholesalers and those in need across the country.
“I put a tweet out a few weeks ago to say I can help and the demand was crazy," Blackstock exclusively told Sporting Life.
"The problem was bigger than I first thought and it went on from there.”
Blackstock's company usually specialises in the medication aspect but, with the NHS short on PPE supplies, his existing connections meant he could help provide the trusted, certified products to the hospitals and beyond as the cost of the crisis continues to take its toll.
He does so with the help of donations from the public via a crowd-funding website, which has now raised nearly £25,000 as of May 19, 20202 and the goal is to surpass the £1million mark.
“What we are doing is providing councils, NHS and care homes with PPE supplies," he explains.
"We have enlarged volumes already, then separately from that we have a charity which you can donate to at donatetonhs.com and with that we can buy products directly at cost, then we can give them out not for profit. So, basically, your donation fee goes into the hospices, care homes and places of need.
“Masks, gloves or aprons, we can source any types of products because we are doing that in day-to-day business anyway.”
More stock delivered today. Ready to be donated. Please email info@donatetonhs.com if you’re in need of PPE. Gloves coming soon.
— Dexter Blackstock (@dexblackstock23) April 18, 2020
Donate at https://t.co/dgoCD6ykDO! pic.twitter.com/7bdCl33neS
'We really want to help these places in need'
Blackstock made nearly 200 appearances for Forest and over 100 outings for QPR, as well as representing the likes of Southampton, Leeds and Derby.
He hung up his boots after leaving Rotherham aged 31, swapping scoring goals for a line of work where he can help save lives by sourcing vital equipment.
“I started the company up not long after I retired,” he continued.
“It has definitely helped me adjust to life after football, it is something I am passionate about and can put my mind to.
“So when it became apparent that PPE is in demand, I already had a relationship that I have built up over a few years in the supply chain – manufacturers, distributors, pharmacists, wholesalers and so forth – so I am able to get hold of these products through trusted sources.”
The former Antigua and Barbuda international estimates they are supplying councils with 'half a million to a million units' and to help with such a workload he has been able to rely on Bradley Johnson, currently a midfielder for Blackburn who is keen to help.
“Bradley came in on the charity side because he is passionate about it,” Blackstock continues.
“It was an opportunity that it could work because I am dealing with the manufacturers anyway, so we can get products at cost price and get them into places so it works well.
“The impact has been massive. Me and Bradley personally went around and gave them out to 10/15 care homes in the East Midlands area, and on Tuesday I sent out 500 masks to various places around the country which we cannot drive to. We are continuing to put masks into these places that need them.
“There are care homes and hospices that don’t have the equipment, not only because of the supply but because of finances as well. So we really want to help these places in real need.”
I’ll be donating 10p for every RT & £1 for every donation to https://t.co/GIZxRchBqc. It’s time our key workers get the help they need. With your help, I can ensure PPE and other resources are delivered when & where it’s needed most. #NHS
— Dexter Blackstock (@dexblackstock23) April 12, 2020
Johnson hoping to make an impact
“We know now how much of a shortage the NHS is going through,” Johnson told The Guardian.
“We want to target the NHS but also the care homes or key workers – like bus drivers who are putting their lives at risk transporting NHS staff. If we get in contact with people in Derby I’ll go out and deliver. We want it to be known we’re doing something. We’re not just sitting at home, wanting people’s money and then letting others do the work. We’re going to do it ourselves.
"I come from a working-class family so I know how hard it is for some of these families. I’ll always remember that.
"The negative press footballers get, it’s sad we don’t get credit for the good stuff we do. Everyone’s quick to jump on the negative. That’s life. Me and Dex want to help.”
"Dexter mentioned that we should do something ourselves."
— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) April 17, 2020
"We made the first order of 10,000 masks off our own backs."
"If we can help anyone we can, we want to do that."@Rovers' @BradJohnson15 explains how he's teamed up with @DexBlackstock23 to supply face masks to the NHS. pic.twitter.com/kWdfpP8K2L
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