Furloughed workers use spare time to make healthy meals for NHS heroes

It’s a simple and effective idea – workers who have been placed on furlough volunteer their time to shop and batch cook meals. They are linked up with a driver in the local area who will drop the meals to NHS staff in a hospital, and all volunteers are reimbursed through donations. The whole operation is run following social distancing guidelines – chefs buy food in their weekly shop, leave cooked meals outside their houses, which are collected by drivers and picked up by NHS staff in the car park of a hospital. Dr Max Brodermann, a junior doctor working in Accident & Emergency, has been on the receiving end of Furloughed Foodies meals: “At a time where NHS workers are feeling the physical and particularly emotional strain of the coronavirus pandemic, it's been more important than ever to make the most of short breaks on shift. After speaking to NHS workers about how volunteers could help, it was found doctors are receiving lots of cakes and snacks, or fast food like pizza. “It's been amazing how much support NHS staff have had”, says Dr Brodermann, “We've been lucky to receive pizzas and cakes and brownies and all sorts of foods, which are wonderful. Furloughed Foodie favourites therefore include roast dinners, pasta salads, and healthy and hearty meals like casseroles. In the meantime, it’s great to see everyone playing their role, and we’re hugely grateful to all volunteers, people who have donated, and all food companies that provide ingredients to makeFurloughed Foodies work so well”.