Small businesses in the Biddulph area and around Staffordshire have been offered the chance to access a free personal protective equipment (PPE) starter-kit.

As lockdown begins to ease and businesses locally and around the country prepare to get up and running again, the "Start Back PPE Pack" is being offered by Staffordshire County Council.

Each pack contains 30 face masks and 25 pairs of gloves, and they are being offered to up to 2,000 businesses in the Staffordshire County Council area who apply via their website.

The support is intended for "micro-businesses", meaning any business with nine employees or less, who either work in close contact with the public, or in a confined space that makes social distancing difficult.

This includes businesses in the following areas:

•Domestic trades e.g. plumbers, electricians, plasterers, joiners, decorators.

•Driving with customers e.g. taxi, private hire, driving instructors

•Accommodation e.g. hotels and B&B

•Food and drink preparation & service activities e.g. restaurants, pubs and cafes

•Cleaning activities

•Hairdressing and beauty treatment e.g. nail salon, tattooist

•Personal human health, e.g. chiropody, physiotherapy, acupuncture

The county council is also signposting to suppliers, including giving businesses a list of suppliers that are offering regulation and cost-effective PPE to businesses, to help them avoid buying non-regulation items.

County Councillor Mark Winnington, Cabinet Member for Economic Growth, hoped that the packs would increase confidence in what he called the "lifeblood" of the local economy.

He said: "Small businesses across Staffordshire have told us that they are struggling to purchase regulation, cost-effective personal protective equipment, and they need this to help boost the confidence of their customers and staff. This isn't intended to replace their own supply, but gives them a starter-kit to use when they need it.

"Businesses have told us they are worried about being sold the wrong type of PPE, or overpaying, so we're giving them a list of the suppliers we have used or are using so they can be sure they are getting the right items for a reasonable price.

"Small businesses are the lifeblood of the Staffordshire economy and it's clear from our research that many who have to work near other people may find this still a worrying time. We hope that these PPE starter packs, coupled with the extensive support packages we have already set up to help businesses during the crisis, will go some way to getting them back on track."

The packs will be handed out to the first 2,000 eligible small businesses, and applications can be made now by visiting the council's website here.