James McClean donates protective equipment to medics fighting coronavirus

“I don’t know the chap but I just received an email advising me that he has bought kit.”

James McClean has purchased personal protective equipment for frontline healthcare workers fighting the coronavirus in Derry.

The Republic of Ireland international made contact with organisers of a campaign to donate equipment to reveal his purchase of protective kit and sanitisers to be used in the local community.

“James McClean has just emailed in a large donation which is coming via Amazon,” said Dr Nicola Duffy, a GP who is working at the Covid-19 centre at Altnagelvin Hospital, on BBC Talkback.

“I don’t know the chap but I just received an email from somebody advising me that he has bought kit and it’s being sent to Great James Street Health Centre, which is our practise.

“He has purchased equipment and sanitisers which will be coming in the next week or two.

“We put this [appeal] up yesterday afternoon and people have dropped up stuff to my front door, people have dropped stuff to the health centre. It’s creating a conversation and people are using their own resources to think where can we get it.

“At the minute, my house seems to be a bit of a depot!”

Last week, McClean received messages targeting him and his family with threats related to the coronavirus after a controversial Instagram post.

A regular target of online abuse, McClean is a frequent contributor to good causes in his local community.