Food From the Heart - Evripidou 10

More than 4,750 Leonard Cheshire frontline carers providing vital support to disabled people this Easter will receive a thank you gift from the Stelios Philanthopic  Foundation of Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou www.stelios-uk.foundation of a total value of GBP150,000.

The Leonard Cheshire ambassador, founder of EasyJet and the easy family of brands (www.easy.com )  and philanthropist  has donated to Leonard Cheshire the sum of  £150,000 so that the monies will be directed to frontline staff in the form of a  John Lewis and Waitrose gift voucher worth GBP30 for each staff member .

At this time of unprecedented health crisis for the UK, Sir Stelios wishes to demonstrate his admiration and support for the selfless commitment of frontline heroes in the charity’s residential services ( 120 Cheshire homes) caring for around 3,000 vulnerable people.

Since Monday 23 March 20, access to the homes  have been limited to staff and other essential visitors as part of the national lock down.

While caring for residents who have shown symptoms of the potentially deadly virus, staff are also contending with a national shortage of personal protective equipment such as specialist masks. Leonard Cheshire has around 120 residential services across the UK and in unprecedented times for all, staff are caring for those who are unwell round the clock, as well as offering reassurance and stability to others. Many staff have covered additional shifts because of colleagues having to self-isolate. By providing essential services in communities across the UK , Leonard Cheshire staff are directly helping  to protect the NHS, and are saving lives  .

Quote from Sir Stelios: These are unprecedented times for everyone and I thought it would be a good time to say thank you in a more tangible way to the front line heroes of this crisis who putting themselves in harm’s way to help and care for the neediest. I have chosen the Leonard Cheshire charity to start my giving back to society as part of my overall pledge to give GBP1m for the virus crisis in the UK because I know them for the last 14 years and they are doing a great job helping disabled people at all levels of society.

Neil Heslop OBE, CEO of Leonard Cheshire, said: “This is a hugely generous gesture and typical of the long-standing support from Sir Stelios’s Foundation  for the charity. Normally this time of the year we would be launching our join awards for disabled entrepreneurs which we understand may have to be postponed this year. Our frontline staff are doing amazing work under immense pressure, and we are doing everything we can to support them. This direct expression of appreciation and support at a time of greatest need for our frontline staff means a great deal to everyone.”