Hospital cafe open throughout lockdown for take-aways for frontline workers

A charity at a hospital kept its cafe and shop open throughout lockdown to serve frontline workers.

Published Nov 10, 2020

Last updated Nov 10, 2020

During lockdown the League of Friends at Cannock Hospital kept open the cafe to provide take-out meals and hot drinks for staff and set up a small shop to provide the health workers with supplies like milk, butter, toilet rolls. Pictured left, chief exec Martin Thornley, Lucy Amos, Gill Hancocks, Tracey Andrews, chair Harold Bould and front vice chair Val James

Stafford & Cannock League of Hospital Friends kept the cafe at Cannock Chase Hospital open for take-aways throughout lockdown and even opened a small shop for essentials for the key workers.

Harold Bould, chairman of Stafford & Cannock League of Hospital Friends, said: "From 1958 the League of Friends has been raising money to fund those little extras for patients and staff that would never make it onto the hospital budget.

"Today the League of Friends supported by its volunteers has made sure that by keeping its café open at Cannock Chase Hospital, staff and visitors can still have hot drinks and food throughout the whole Covid-19 period.

"The main activity for Stafford & Cannock League of Hospital Friends in Cannock and Stafford is the provision of a supported accommodation programme in conjunction with mental health, social and probation services for up to 58 vulnerable individuals with mental health problems.

"Without this support they would otherwise be homeless or in hospital."