By Dan Wood
In a show of solidarity with those working on the frontlines of COVID-19, the University of Huddersfield has donated its unused stock to infirmary workers.
More than a thousand snacks and drinks have been separated into boxes from the store cupboards at Huddersfield University and have been handed over to frontline staff at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary.
Medics will now be able to obtain these boxes of treats that were delivered by the University’s Estates and Facilities department.
In early April, the University donated PPE from its own supplies to the hospital trust.
The snacks and drinks would have usually been sold at the University shop and cafes across the campus, but due to the lockdown, they would have been wasting away in store cupboards over the summer.
The Huddersfield Royal Infirmary was contacted by the Estates team before a van full of the boxes were loaded out to the Hospital. It was driven over by Purchasing Co-ordinator Phil Goddard.
Tim Hosker, the University’s Acting Director of Estates and Facilities said: “When Phil got to HRI, the staff were so busy that he unloaded the van and took the stock to their storeroom himself.
“We did the same when we took the PPE – it’s so busy there that we don’t want to take up their valuable time.”
The Infirmary’s fundraising team have now used the supplied to make up ‘boost boxes’, which are available for staff throughout the hospital when they have a break from their hectic schedules.
Mr Hosker added: “Hopefully, it will give them a little boost at break time for their rest and recovery when they dip into the box for a drink of a snack.
“We have to support the local community in whatever way we can. That’s not easy sometimes, but this was straightforward to put together.
“We approached the chief executive of the Trust, and then filtered the supplies to the right areas. They are incredibly busy at HRI, but if we can do our little bit to help then we are delighted to do so.