Staff and Volunteers from Stafford and Cannock League of Hospital Friends have been working hard since the start of the coronavirus epidemic to make sure that keyworkers still have access to our services.

Even though we have had to close our coffee bars at Cannock Hospital and County Hospital, staff continue to work at The Friends Café in Cannock Hospital and volunteers at the shop at St George’s Hospital.

At Friends Café the staff have continued to open five days a week to serve the hospital staff with food and drinks when they take a well earned break. Yvonne from the café and Gill from the office also set up a pop up shop at the café so that staff could shop for food essentials to save them a trip to the supermarket. We have made sure that the staff and customers are safe by removing tables so that food can only be ordered to take away and also put screening up at the till point.

Over at St George’s Hospital, Jo and Sonia, two of our volunteers have been running a telephone ordering system from the shop, whereby wards can telephone their order in, which is then prepared for them and left at a safe distance in the entrance hall. This service is very much appreciated by the Hospital as we are supporting mental health services at a time when they are unable to go out themselves to access anything.

We are very proud and grateful to our staff and volunteers for everything that they are doing to support the community during this very difficult time.