An Aberdeenshire hotel has served up more than 1,000 meals to the needy during lockdown, after locals put their hands in their pockets to ensure no one goes hungry.
Award-winning chef David Littlewood, who runs the Tor Na Coille Hotel in Banchory with his family, introduced the service for the elderly and vulnerable people hit hardest by the pandemic.
The kind-hearted family’s scheme – based on a pay-what-you-can-afford model – is making sure everyone can eat, regardless of their financial situation.
People who can pay for the food are doing so, and many others are chipping in to cover the cost of meals for those unable to.
The hotel is also delivering meals, where possible, to people who are not able to get out themselves.
To date, the hotel has served up more than 1,000 ready meals with around 50% of people opting to pay a little more to fund meals for those in need.
In the region of 300 dishes have been provided free of cost thanks to their generosity.
Mr Littlewood said: “The restrictions on our trading came about so quickly and we had fridges full of food stock, which would all otherwise have gone to waste.
“We tried to think of a way to help the local community.
“What a wonderful response we’ve had from the big-hearted people of Banchory and beyond.
“We aim to keep going as long as we have stock of meals left in the freezer.”
Prior to staff at the four star hotel being furloughed, in line with the government’s job retention scheme, chefs made more than 2,000 frozen ready meals.
These can be collected, defrosted and cooked at home from the otherwise closed hotel.
Mr Littlejohn and his wife Sophie have also opened a take-away hot food service at weekends, which they say has proved “very popular”.
Mrs Littlejohn added: “People need a bit of cheering up and whilst no one can go out for a meal, they can still opt for take-away food.
“We believe that ‘what goes around comes around’ and hopefully, once this is all over and we re-open, people will remember.”
Similar initiatives to ensure nobody goes hungry during the crisis have sprung up across the north and north-east.
The Covid-19 Mintlaw Matters volunteer group is setting up a collection centre for donations to Peterhead Foodbank in the community education huts at Mintlaw Academy each Tuesday and Thursday from 10am to noon.
People needing help can contact the group on 07967923531 or 01771 622588 and confidentiality is guaranteed.
