Shoreham company cooks and delivers free meals to NHS staff and elderly residents

The freshly cooked, healthy meals are being prepared in The Hut – in the in-house canteen of IT and telecoms firm Focus Group, based in Shoreham’s Ham Road. They are then delivered to Worthing Hospital and Shoreham locals from Monday to Friday. Stuart MacGarvie, chef and manager at The Hut, said: “We are keeping very busy preparing batches of food in the morning for local residents, while another goes out in the evening to NHS staff coming off shift, so they can take something home that is nourishing and nutritious, giving them one less thing to worry about. “Fridays are spent making sweet treats to keep people going over the weekend, with something special to enjoy.” Chris Goodman, Joint Managing Director at Focus Group, said: “With our own canteen facilities on-site, it was an obvious decision to help our NHS heroes and those vulnerable in society stay well-fed during this global crisis. “We are involved with a great deal of charities and community fundraising day-to-day anyway, so there was no question about pooling our resources as a business and doing our bit. “We hope it goes some way to making a difference during these difficult times.” The scheme is already making a difference to NHS staff. A consultant paediatrician working in Worthing Hospital sent a note of thanks to Focus Group, which said: “Thank you for the supper provided at the end of another long week for us. “It saved both me and my husband from cooking at the end of a busy, challenging week. “I cannot tell you how much it meant to us. “Thank you to all the volunteers.” Focus Group has been working closely with local MPs and volunteer networks, such as Adur East Lions Club, who have been committed to delivering packages to elderly residents. Volunteer Susan Saunders, from the Lion’s Club, said: “The offer from Focus to help came at just the right time for us. “We had been checking in on our contacts to see if anyone needed extra help at this time and identified that many did. “The people receiving the meals are so utterly grateful and delighted that a local business wants to lend its support in this way. “Without this help, many wouldn’t be able to source the food or eat healthy hot meals. “We have worked with Focus Group on several charity projects previously and are so pleased to be working with them again in this new partnership.” Volunteers from the surrounding area have been helping roll-out the scheme, as well as Focus Group employees, with preparation and meal deliveries being undertaken with safe, carefully managed processes. All food is delivered to the door in recyclable packaging, each with a personalised, positive message to the recipient. The firm is continuing to spread the word about the scheme to local residents to help as many people as it can. A message from the Editor, Gary Shipton: Thank you for reading this story on our website. But I also have an urgent plea to make of you. In order for us to continue to provide high quality local news on this free-to-read site and in print, please purchase a copy of our newspaper as well. With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on our town centres and many of our valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you buying a copy. Our journalists are highly trained by the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards anywhere in the world. Our content is universally trusted - as all independent research proves. As Baroness Barran said in a House of Lords debate this week on the importance of journalists: “Not only are they a trusted source of facts, but they will have a role to play in rallying communities and getting the message across about how we can keep ourselves and our families safe, and protect our NHS. Undoubtedly, they have a critical role.” But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis. In return we will continue to forensically cover the local news - not only the impact of the virus but all the positive and uplifting news happening in these dark days. In addition, please write to your MP urging the Government to provide some additional financial support for local newspapers and their websites like this one and ensuring that supermarkets continue to stock them. I cannot stress enough how important such an intervention would be. We thank all our readers and advertisers for their understanding and support - and we wish YOU all the best in the coming weeks. Keep safe, and follow the Government advice. Thank you.