Comedian Matt Lucas and actor Helen McCrory are backing a campaign to get food directly to frontline NHS staff tackling the Covid-19 crisis.
FeedNHS is being launched by fast food chain LEON to deliver meals directly to critical care staff, who have been hit by cafe and restaurant closures that they would normally visit to eat during shifts, or who won’t have time to leave wards to eat.
With plans to bring 5,600 hot meals to key healthcare workers across five hospitals every day, the campaign will work in partnership with the Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
LEON co-founder and CEO John Vincent said: “We have launched FeedNHS because we have been inundated with direct requests from NHS staff and from their families, asking us to feed them. These amazing people need us. They are already going without sleep. If they also don’t have good food, they will burn out faster, function less well and become ill themselves.
“We hope other restaurant brands will join us in helping them. They deserve all of our support for their own sake, and for the patients they’re looking after. The hospitality industry is full of wonderful and passionate people. I expect many will want to be part of this action where they can, and where they still have the capabilities and facilities.”
The restaurant chain was already serving critical care staff with a 50 per cent discount and had committed to putting all profits towards the NHS.