Through meals, aid supplies and medical equipment, Suffolk businesses have again been continuing to support key workers and those in need during the coronavirus crisis.
Among the businesses pledging their support on Friday, April 3, was Great Blakenham-based company Burland Technology, which delivered an emergency package of power distribution units to a London hospital.
The units are used to provide reliable power connectivity to critical medical equipment such as respirators – and was hand delivered by managing director Richard Vass in a bid to ensure they would arrive on time.
Mr Vass said: “Our NHS customers have emphasised their urgent need. Being a Friday, the goods would not arrive until Monday – up to three valuable days would be lost.”
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National fast-casual restaurant change German Doner Kebab (GDK), which has an outlet in Ipswich town centre, is donating 30,000 meals to NHS staff as a way of thanking them for their role in keeping the country safe.
The meals, which have yet to be decided, will be delivered in partnership with Deliveroo.
Imran Sayed, GDK CEO, said he wanted to give a thank you for their “super-human efforts”
Mr Sayed added: “We have been completely overwhelmed and inspired by the incredible dedication and courage shown by NHS staff during the COVID-19 crisis.
“We stand beside them during these unprecedented times and will continue to do our best to provide valuable help to the selfless heroes that are saving lives and helping vulnerable people in communities throughout the country.”
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Elsewhere, Suffolk-based cruise company Fred. Olsen has been working with the Barbados Port to support local charities in the Caribbean country after its ship Braemar – which was struck with a coronavirus outbreak – was originally meant to call at Bridgetown.
A container of more than 17,000kg of chilled fruit and vegetables, originally destined for the ship, has instead been donated to a number of organisations on the island, including the YWCA, Barbados Homeless Society and The Red Cross.
Peter Deer, managing director of the company, said: “We did not want this container of perfectly good fresh produce to go to waste, as there are so many deserving causes in Barbados, and we knew that they could make use of it to benefit a great many local people in these difficult and challenging times.
“We are just happy that we were able to help to make a difference on the island in this small way, and we thank our partners in Barbados for making this happen.”
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