Support pours in from UK coffee companies to help fuel NHS staff
NHS staff at Croydon Hospital
Coffee companies around the UK have rallied together in an effort to support key workers fighting coronavirus. Members of the British Coffee Association (BCA) and the wider industry have donated over 900 coffee machines and sufficient pods, beans and blends to make nearly 2 million cups of quality coffee for NHS staff working in hospitals up and down the country in an effort to fuel the vital work of doctors, nurses and care staff on the front line.
The initiative comes as part of the NHS Coffee Appeal, an appeal set up to provide much needed hot drinks to hospital staff across the country. To date, thousands of bags of coffee beans, pods, roast and ground coffee, filters, and espresso machines for those who need the extra boost, have been donated to NHS Trust hospitals and NHS teams nationally.
Professor Marcel Levi, chief executive of University College London Hospitals, said: “We have received 45 machines and thousands of capsules of quality coffee. These donations make a huge difference to our staff and we have distributed the machines to all Covid wards, A&E wards, and ITUs. We are extremely grateful for this fantastic initiative and to the companies and individuals that have supported us so much so far.”
Paul Rooke, executive director at the British Coffee Association, said: “When the NHS Coffee Appeal contacted us about this initiative, we didn’t hesitate to get our members involved. The work our doctors and nurses are doing deserves more than coffee but if it means they can enjoy a decent hot drink that helps them through a busy shift then we are thrilled to help out in any way we can. Our members have rallied to support the NHS Coffee Appeal, and several have also made their own donations directly to the NHS. To date this has meant almost 2 million cups of quality coffee for NHS staff.”
Over 30 NHS hospitals across the country, including Barts NHS Trust, Croydon University Hospital, Ipswich Hospital, Basingstoke Hospital, and Peterborough Hospital, have received coffee donations to date, and will continue to do so to support them through the coronavirus pandemic. Donations to hospitals have included over 900 brand new coffee machines as well as bags of roast and ground coffee, coffee capsules, ready to drink americano and espresso coffee cans, filter coffee and plenty of coffee filters, to make almost 2 million cups of coffee.
Edouard de Guitaut from the NHS Coffee Appeal added: “We are really heartened by these amazing donations, from individuals, but especially from the extremely generous members of the British Coffee Association who have given massive boost to the wellbeing of nurses and doctors working in critical care wards. But many more machines now need to be donated by individuals and companies, so we can ensure that every ward across the country that asks for help, receives a machine and some coffee.”
Further from home, members of the BCA have also been providing assistance to coffee farmers in origin countries. With a number of countries entering the vital coffee harvest season, members with close links to growers have been quick to ensure measures are in place to secure the safety of workers during the pandemic. Nespresso and Taylors, for example, have put in place emergency programmes to support the farmers producing coffee, which includes funding to enable specific interventions such as tests, hygiene kits and food provisions.
Rooke added: “Without our coffee farmers, there would be no coffee. It is a critical time to protect this year’s crop so it’s important that we keep coffee farmers and workers across the supply chain in origin countries at the front of our minds and ensure we are doing everything we can to support the work they are doing and maintain the safety, security and livelihoods of these workers. The UK has had good supply levels of coffee throughout the coronavirus pandemic and the industry has worked hard to ensure this will not change in the future.”
For more information or to donate, visit: https://www.nhscoffeeappeal.com/.
