Yodel to deliver free meals to NHS staff
Businessman Ron Dennis CBE has launched a not-for-profit initiative to feed thousands of critical NHS workers with meals over the next three months.
Yodel will deliver the meals.
The meals will be made available free of charge to ICU teams, anaesthetic teams and A&E staff, who are unable to leave their clinical areas during their 12 hour shifts, which is the protocol being adopted by all COVID-19 designated hospitals. This service enables them to stay close to wards at all times without having to change out of protective clothing.
Delivering the initiative, called SalutetheNHS.org, has brought together a group of food, logistics, packaging and other specialists. SalutetheNHS.org plans to begin delivering the free meals from today, Monday 6th April, starting at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford. The following week deliveries will start at Great Ormond Street, the London children’s hospital, and from there the programme will roll out to Government targeted locations across the country.
SalutetheNHS.org is now calling for other supporters to donate or make a specific contribution as production grows, and is asking people to call the dedicated hotline on 0800 497 0797.
Mike Hancox, chief executive at Yodel said: “We’re doing everything we can to keep the country moving during this unprecedented time and our colleagues across the business feel honoured to be able to support such a worthy cause. We are tremendously grateful for everything that the NHS is doing, and it is a privilege to be able to support workers. Producing and distributing meals to the NHS frontline will require careful planning and a collaborative effort from all the partners involved, and we’re confident we have the right team in place to do it.”
