Posted on: 4 May 2020
From this week, 300 free meals will be delivered each day to NHS staff from the Milton Keynes Community Health Services who offer assessment and treatment for people with a range of physical and mental health issues. The free service will enable those working across Milton Keynes to EAT fresh and healthy meals when catering is not widely available.
Hospitality provider BaxterStorey has joined the #FeedNHS campaign, originally launched by Matt Lucas, Damian Lewis, Helen McCrory and John Vincent from LEON, and is providing catering to NHS front line staff who are working around the clock and are struggling to access nutritious food.
A range of fresh salads and sandwiches as well as hot meal options, will be prepared in the WePrepare kitchen in Slough by BaxterStorey, before being transported and distributed to NHS staff working across Milton Keynes.
BaxterStorey Production Manager, Paul Gaynard, has been crucial in facilitating the deliveries. He explains: “My wife works for NHS Central and North West London Foundation Trust. Although many of the hospitals were being catered for, I found that specialist staff providing essential support to vulnerable people within the community don’t have many catering options, with so many food and drink outlets closed.”
Specialist Therapy Services Service Manager, Steve Caffrey said: “We are so grateful to BaxterStorey. It’s been really appreciated and staff have been asking when the food would arrive as soon as I announced the agreement. Our teams have been working flat-out so to have this help will be of great benefit to them.”
Karen French, Service Manager for Home 1st, added: “Our teams are out all day with little time to stop and prepare food or to stop and buy food, so this buys us all a bit of time to ourselves. Thank you to everyone who has donated to this cause and to BaxterStorey.”
Noel Mahony, Co-Chief Executive at BaxterStorey, said: “It’s essential that front line NHS staff have access to fresh and nutritious meals, and we are honoured to be supporting teams across Milton Keynes through the BaxterStorey Foundation.”