With the NHS under pressure like never before and its huge numbers of staff working long hours as the country fights to combat coronavirus, campaign group Fuel Our Frontline has been set up by barrister Michael Polak to provide food packages and co-ordinate the provision of food to the frontline.
NHS frontline staff include doctors, nurses, and support staff such as porters and cleaners who are all working extensive shifts to fight the virus for all of us. The 100% voluntary Fuel Our Frontline team is made up of people from different professional backgrounds, including NHS staff who have first-hand experience of the difficulties faced by those working in our hospitals at this difficult time.
One of the volunteers leading the effort is Melanie Cooke, a solicitor. She says. “It has been reported to us by a number of frontline staff that they are having trouble accessing food and they are spending a huge amount of the time that they need for rest between long shifts locating food to keep them going in their fight for all of us. This is not right or sustainable.
“Our objective is to get food to them as they are really struggling to get to the supermarkets, even at so called NHS shopping times. When they can get to the shops, often there is insufficient food as there is a general shortage of basic food items. Apart from the usual shortage of pasta, rice, eggs and toilet roll, the fruit and veg goes very quickly in shops too.
“This is most likely set to get worse according to press reports now coming out about the shortage of pickers to deal with the upcoming seasonal goods in the UK (and elsewhere no doubt).”
Fuel Our Frontline’s efforts have started on a small scale, but hospital staff have already gratefully received fruit and vegetables from New Spitalfields market. As the crisis deepens though, the organisation needs help on a grander scale. Whether it is through funding, providing food, or the use of your specialist skills! Please see Get Involved for further information.
All funds raised and resources provided will be provided directly to our frontline NHS staff.
Join New Spitalfields in the effort to support the people who are fighting this for all of us!
Here are some more links for anyone who wants to give Fuel Our Frontline some much-needed and necessary exposure.
https://twitter.com/FuelFrontline
https://www.facebook.com/FuelOurFrontline