Our core team formed in response to a request for support from NHS staff within the Critical Care Units who were working extremely long hours with limited access to food and provisions as supermarkets were base and hospital canteens and food outlets were closed.

Working with multiple partners, we expanded quickly to deliver regular meals to 15 hospitals up until the end of June; and we continue to provide meals to shelters to care for the homeless and victims of domestic violence, and units for outpatients affected by cancer.

We also set about boosting NHS staff morale by delivering care packages to exhausted front line doctors and nurses together with a selection of baked sweets, desserts and handmade cards drawn by local school children. We were also able to supply vital donations of personal protective equipment (PPE) when supplies were running low and covered car parking fees and accommodation for staff members so they could to continue to work under lockdown by lodging close to the hospital.

Our donation of tablets and smartphones allowed loved ones to see one another from hospital wards and facilitated home learning for those families who could not otherwise afford an electronic device.

The funds raised by individual donations and our sponsors have covered over 115,500 meals (to the end of August) and have provided a lifeline to many local businesses.