LANDLORDS of Barnard Castle’s Old Well Inn are cooking up free pasta lunches for children doing home learning.
Rima and Roy Chatterjee started their scheme last week as a way of showing appreciation for the town that has supported them for the past five years. And the offer is open to everyone, regardless of their means. Mr Chatterjee said: “This is a treat for the kids and to give their mums or carers a 20-minute respite from having to cook. It is challenging for them to juggle home schooling, house work and having to cook.”
The couple are known for their generosity and during the first Covid-19 lockdown in March last year they donated their entire stock of food to Evenwood caterer Kim Clark who cooked up more than 10,000 meals for key workers and people who were shielding. Mr Chatterjee said: “She is amazing. When we shut the pub we had so much food so we called her and she came and took it away.”
Ms Clark repaid that favour last week by organising a huge donation of ingredients from Sainsbury’s for the Chatterjee’s scheme.
The delivery included tomato puree, tinned plum tomatoes, bolognese sauce, a large slab of cheese and a variety of dried pasta.It also contained a selection of fruit juices to complement the drinks the pub landlords were giving away from their own stock.
Some 15 children were served on the first day of the scheme on Tuesday last week and by the following day 27 children had signed up for a choice of macaroni cheese or spaghetti. Mr Chatterjee said: “The mums are happy because they say their kids are getting a walk and it is an outing for them.”
The initial meals were funded entirely from tips Mr Chatterjee received when delivering meal orders to customers on evenings.
He said: “We have a tip jar which we fill when we charge £1 for a delivery, but the amount of tips people were giving – it was crazy. We have a lot of regulars and they are just so happy to have it delivered. We had a little less than £300 in the jar.”
People can order meals for their children by visiting the Old Well Inn’s Facebook page.
