NHS workers receive more than 400 gourmet ready meals through Fulwood Central store

Will Walne delivering meals at the NHS Heroes Support Hub in Fulwood

More than 400 gourmet ready meals have been donated to NHS staff at a new shop just for hospital workers.

The NHS Heroes Hub is operating at the Fulwood Central retail park in Oliver’s Place.

Organisers have teamed up with the Meals for the NHS initiative run by Garstang-based Striped Pig Company.

Brothers Will and John Walne are already donating profits from their ready meals to the NHS Hub and they are now stocking them up with meals.

Managing director of The Striped Pig Company, Will Walne, said: “We’ve been supporting our local NHS for a while now, and we saw an opportunity to partner with Meals for the NHS to collect and drop off the meals at the Lancashire Teaching Hospitals’ NHS Heroes Hub. This is just one way that we can ensure as many members of staff as possible are well-fed during their busy shifts, and Meals for the NHS are supporting us in funding the ingredients for our delicious and nutritious meals.”

The NHS Heroes Hub has free essential items for NHS workers at nearby Royal Preston Hospital.

Volunteer Naeem Din is one of a number of volunteers keeping the Hub running since its launch in April.

He said: “We are extremely grateful to Meals for the NHS and to the Striped Pig Company for their incredible support. The NHS Heroes Hub is a place where Lancashire Teaching Hospitals staff can pick up food, drink and toiletries free of charge and anyone can leave a donation at the Hub to help keep us going.

“The meals we’ve received thanks to these organisations collaborating means our staff have access to fresh, nutritious food at such a busy and often difficult time. We’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone at Meals for the NHS, the Striped Pig Company and every other person and organisation that has shown their support.”

Lancashire Teaching Hospitals have thanked the NHS Heroes Hub and the Striped Pig Company for their support.

Head of charities and fundraising at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Paula Wilson, said: “Under the current pressures, a freshly made, nutritious meal is needed more than ever.

“The wellbeing of our staff is vital, so we are incredibly grateful to Meals for the NHS and the Striped Pig Company for partnering up to deliver delicious food to our NHS Heroes Hub, which is a resource we are so proud of.

“The wonderful Naeem and his team have been giving up their time to manage the Hub and we simply couldn’t do it without them.”