Warwick Pub providing meals to frontline staff thanks to community donations

The team at a pub in Warwick have been providing meals to frontline staff thanks to community donations.

Phil Langdon and his wife Ann are landlords at The New Bowling Green pub and with the help of their chefs they have been providing ready meals to NHS staff and key workers.

Phil said: "During the few days where people were advised to not go to pubs but we were still allowed to open we started a delivery service.

"While we were picking up a few orders it didn’t make financial sense to continue when the Job Retention Scheme grants (JRS) were available.

"By taking advantage of the JRS we could ensure that our team retained enough income to see them through.

"We couldn’t guarantee this if we continued with the delivery service.

"Before closing down the delivery service we had decided to try and find a way for the community to donate deliveries to NHS and front line staff.

"Within a few days we realised that we could retain social distancing but also use our facilities to provide hot meals to the NHS and frontline.

"So we decided to set up a community fund.

"We have been providing ‘ready meals’ to frontline services through our fund through which we are also providing a Sunday lunch every other Sunday to some of our regular customers, so that we can make sure they’re keeping okay, as well as a number of local residents and residents at Castlegate Mews.

"We are also receiving regular meat donations from Paul Crowe at Steve Crowe and Son Butchers in Kenilworth and meat and veg donations from Russell Allen from Aubrey Allen in Leamington."

The team are also providing more than 100 meals a week to Helping Hands in Leamington as part of an initiative organised by Aubrey Allen.

Since joining the initiative the pub team have also used the community fund to supply meals to; Grays Mallory police station, Warwick ambulance depot, Leamington police station, Leamington fire station and the NHS 111 Call Centre in Coventry.

Phil added: "All the praise for the meals going out should go to our chefs Ann and Phil (our other chef who lives on site).

"The response has been brilliant, so far we have raised almost £2,000 in total.

"Thanks to all those who have donated and especially Russell Allen for his massive effort on this project.

"We have had some lovely notes left with cash donations from our local residents and some great social media posts from the teams we have delivered to. Although it seems donations, both financial and ingredients, are unfortunately starting to slow.

"What we have learnt though is that we can still produce a high quality meal that can be delivered so we do have a new string to our bow.

"I think that, as with a lot of places, we have to see what guidelines are given to us and what restrictions are put in place.

"However, we also feel that if and when we’re back open, and if we can keep donations to the fund coming in, we can still provide some weekly meals to Helping Hands and to frontline teams."

To donate go to: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/bowler-green