Two food writers, Annabel Karmel and Louisa Walters, have set up campaigns to supply free, good-quality food to NHS workers and vulnerable people.
Along with her business partner Abigail Simon, Mrs Karmel has allowed the kitchens of their nursery catering business, The Yum Yum Food company, to used by a charity to produce food for hospital workers and those most endangered by coronavirus.
The pair posted a Facebook message to see if anyone needed a kitchen and were contacted by Leon Aarts of charity Compassion London.
“We’re getting orders for up to 2,500 meals a day and delivering to several hospitals and many individuals,” said Mrs Karmel.
Ms Simon appealed for volunteers from her synagogue, New North London, and received many offers to help pack and deliver meals.
To fund the operation, Mrs Karmel raised £8,500 via the Compassion London page on Go Fund Me. She has also been given £10,000 by the Carluccio’s Foundation and £2,400 by Lance Forman, from customer donations
Meanwhile, Mill Hill-based food writer, Louisa Walters, has raised more than £50,000 for meals for NHS workers from independent restaurants .
“When the restaurants were closed two weeks ago, my heart went out to the independents. The same night, the news featured a nurse crying that she could not get food after her shift.”
So Mrs Walters — co-founder of Facebook group ‘The Restaurant Club’ — set up a fundraising campaign to support both NHS staff and the restaurants.
“In that first weekend my Go Fund Me page raised £20,000, and by the following week, £40,000,” she said.
Mrs Walters was contacted by friends and relatives of NHS workers telling her where meals were needed.
Heads of NHS trusts then contacted her, including the Head of Acute Medicine at London’s Royal Free hospital, and her fund is now sending meals to several hospitals.
“The meals go directly to the Covid-19 wards. Staff may not otherwise eat during their 13 hour shifts as it takes too long to take off their PPE and get food. The hot meals really help,” said Mrs Walters. Her Go Fund Me page is ‘Help Feed the Amazing NHS Staff’.
