The team behind Stockport’s street food ‘Foodie Friday’ markets have stepped up to provide meals for Stepping Hill Hospital and community NHS services.
The monthly Friday evening street markets in Stockport town centre have been cancelled because of the coronavirus crisis, so traders have taken their food to Stepping Hill Hospital instead to ensure free meals for health workers during the coronavirus emergency.
Foodie Friday are also asking people to donate some of the money they were to spend at the street stalls to fund their campaign instead.
Over three Fridays, the team have visited Stepping Hill Hospital and provided over 1000 free hot street food meals to hospital and community NHS staff, from market traders including Artisam, Somtam Street, I Knead Pizza and Oh Mei Dumpling.
Stockport NHS Foundation Trust’s catering team have played a key role in facilitating the visits, which have proven hugely popular with staff.
So far, the Foodie Friday markets have raised over £11,000, with local musical heroes, The Blossoms, adding their own £1000 to the total, allowing the Friday visits to continue feeding staff while social distancing restrictions remain in place.
Organiser of the Foodie Friday markets, Joe Barratt, said:
We’d like to say a big thank you to everyone who has contributed to the campaign as we continue to support our local NHS. You’re a credit to Stockport, and its been very special to see everyone come together to support this. Keep donating and we’ll keep providing.”
To support the campaign, donations can be made through Foodie Friday’s GoFundMe page.