Preston chicken firm donating freshly made meals for Royal Preston Hospital staff

Taking care of local NHS staff’s tea are (from the left) Aseef Vaza, brother Tahir Vaza and Max Patel, owners of Gafoor Limited, with Rafik Omar (seated), a trustee of Masid Salam Mosque, Fulwood

Preston company Gafoor Limited is donating between 100 and 150 freshly-made ready meals daily to NHS staff working at Royal Preston Hospital during the coronavirus crisis.

The firm in Fletcher Road, which is owned by the Vaza family, has also pledged £100,000 to Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (LTHTR), which manages the hospitals, to help it during the pandemic.

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In addition, the Vaza family, who also co-own the Imperial Banqueting Suite in St Mary’s Street North, have offered to make the building – which has a 14,000 sq. ft. function room – available free of charge to the Trust if needed.

Tahir Vaza said: “Although our family originates from the Gujarat region of
India, we are third generation Prestonians and we want to show our support for those working to keep our city well during this difficult time.”

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Gafoor Limited processes locally farmed chicken, supplying Red Tractor farm-assured fresh meat to all the UK’s major supermarket chains as well as reputable blue chip food manufacturers.

Some of the appreciative NHS teams that have already received ready meals from Gafoor Limited

It is now donating freshly processed chicken meat from its own factory to the Imperial Banqueting Suite’s kitchen where head chef Mr Shah, who has
cooked for former Prime Minister David Cameron and other cabinet ministers at 10 Downing Street, is using it to make different curry dishes.

The chicken curries are packed so they can be re-heated, along with freshly baked naan bread and vegetarian meals such as lentil dahl.

Paula Wilson, Head of Charities and Fundraising for LTHTR, said: “We would like to thank Gafoor Limited for its generosity and kindness. It is quite overwhelming the way in which the company has stepped forward to help the Trust and its staff.

“I know how much the staff appreciates having tea taken care of, as that’s one little less worry a day that they have to address.”

What do you think of Gafoor’s donations and offers of help? Let us know in the comments.