Chefs of private residential care group, Sanders Senior Living, have begun to produce an extra 200 hot meals every week in an effort to help the vulnerable during the coronavirus crisis.
The recently established and expanding care home group, derived from the successful Runwood Homes organisation, consists of two services; Claridge Place in Solihull and Graysford Hall in Leicester, and both have committed to an initiative to help feed the vulnerable.
The SSL teams, who care for older people, including those living with dementia, wanted to do their bit during the lockdown period, when so many people have been affected by changes in regular services and accessibility to basic requirements. To set up their voluntary food support initiative, each home has reached out to local charities, volunteer organisations and their local council to work together and form a recipient list for their meals on wheels service, which began, on Tuesday 14 April.
The chefs and their catering teams each aim to provide a healthy, freshly prepared meal to 20 different people each day throughout these restrictive times, to help ease the pressure of having access to nutritious food as well as having to go out, encouraging people to stay at home, as guided by the government.
Delivered from door to door by volunteers from the homes’ local areas, those receiving meals can look forward to meals including shepherd’s pie, chicken in mushroom sauce and beef stew, served with a range of suitable sides including vegetables. Recipients so far include those in sheltered housing, isolated elderly people and deprived families.
Commenting on the initiative, Pradeep Patel, Graysford Hall’s Home Manager, said, “A huge part of our role as a care home in Leicester is to engage with the local community. In light of the current lockdown situation, we felt strongly motivated to get involved and to do our part, with help from by our talented Head Chef, Robert Barker. We’re delighted that The Lord Mayor of Leicester assisted in identifying and delivering the first round of meals and we feel privileged to be able to care for our community as well as our residents.”
For more information, and to make contact with a Sanders Senior Living care home for ways to be involved, please visit www.sandersseniorliving.co.uk