NHS staff and care homes in Barnard Castle enjoyed some tasty snacks thanks to the stewards at the town’s workingmen’s club.
Rather than simply throw stock away as it passed its use-by date, Tom Howe and Katy Richards decided to bring a bit of lockdown cheer to key workers. They parcelled up hundreds of bottles of fizzy drinks along with packets of crisps and nuts before delivering them to staff at the Richardson Hospital, Manor House, King’s Court, Beaconsfield and Charles Dickens Lodge.
“Not knowing when we will be able to reopen, we had lots of stock going out of date,” said Mr Howe.
“We were going to get rid of it anyway, so we thought it would be nice to give something back to them,” he added.
“It’s just a nice gesture for all the hard work these people are doing.
“The response from everyone was overwhelming. I think they were shocked when we dropped them off.”
There was no booze included in the parcels.
However, with no end currently in sight for the latest lockdown, Mr Howe is thinking of offering drinks packages as an alternative to simply pouring his beer down the drain.
“At the moment, we have no idea of when we might reopen. It all depends on the government advice.
“If we are told it’s going to be May or June, any drink going out of date up to then we may well offer as drinks packages, otherwise it will go down the sink.”
