Redundant Sutton dad's new business could help save lives

Chris Hawkes, who is married with a grown up daughter, had worked for 25 years for the world’s largest Audio Visual solutions company Mood Media, as the head of project management.

The 52-year-old’s job ended in July due to the COVID 19 pandemic but Chris was determined to turn a negative into a positive.

He used his redundancy payout to set up a new company SteraScreen, aimed at helping businesses tackle Covid-19. He devised an automated hand sanitising station system, which includes a host of features including a digital advertising display.

Chris said: “Although I suspected I would be made redundant, it still came as a shock. I had to take stock of my 30 years of experience. At the same time, I felt I needed to do something to help fight this merciless disease. I got fantastic help with Ashfield District Council’s new business start-up grant.

“The systems are designed to keep business customers, staff and visitors stay safe and include a touch-less automatic hand sanitising unit, the business’s COVID-19 policy and instructions, integrated Government Test and trace QR codes, products and services and advertising along with a URL re-direct feature where the user can touch an interactive screen for them to be redirected to a website of the business’s choice.”

Following the success of SteraScreen, Chris’s business won the sole UK distributorship of a new system developed by a company called Radikal Health, which helps sanitise the air keeping it safe from pathogens, such as Covid-19.

Chris said: “It is not an air filter, it is a cutting edge air and surface purifying/sanitising system that works 24/7 even whilst the space is in use.

"It constantly kills 99.9% of all known pathogens, viruses and volatile organic compounds (VOC’s), in the air and on surfaces, making any work or social place much safer from things like COVID-19 or lung problems, and could help in the fight to save lives.

“The system is harmless to humans and pets, it could cut down employee sick days. It’s the first of its kind in Europe and will be a real game changer for business, social and domestic spaces alike.”