What we are now noticing through this life changing crisis is that we are feeling in a shift in our lives. What was once forgotten we seem to be now enjoying, time with loved ones, speaking to people on the phone rather than a quick ‘HEY’ by text. From what we can tell we all seem to be embracing the togetherness that distancing is bringing, in some really bizarre way.

What has never left us however is our sense of community spirit and our need to help and support others, no matter what personal challenges we are facing ourselves. For example, THE CARING FOUNDATION has just announced it will be donating and delivering meals to the Welsh Ambulance Service in Cardiff and the surrounding region. Uniting Richard Caring’s hospitality brands in Wales including The Ivy Cardiff and Bill’s Restaurant & Bar, company volunteers will be preparing 1,500 meals a week for the Ambulance Service, with dishes including The Ivy’s iconic traditional and vegetarian Shepherd’s pies, and Bill’s popular Green Chicken Curries and Macaroni Cheese.

The Caring Foundation is a privately run, family foundation created in January 2020 by Richard and Patricia Caring. Richard Caring owns and operates multiple businesses in the hospitality sector, including The Ivy Collection. The foundation have brought together teams from across his hospitality network to deliver a selection of meal options to NHS workers and vulnerable communities.

This initiative forms part of The Caring Foundation’s commitment to offer 50,000 meals (and growing each week) through various hospitals and charity food partnerships in London and to critically vulnerable communities across the whole country including Cardiff, Manchester, Birmingham, Dublin, Glasgow and Brighton.

Jason Killens, Chief Executive of the Welsh Ambulance Service told us……

“Our colleagues, and indeed those right across the NHS, are working flat out during the Coronavirus outbreak to provide the best possible service for the public, in very difficult circumstances.”

“We’re hugely grateful to The Caring Foundation for their kind gesture which I know will be well received by our colleagues on the frontline and will provide a much-needed morale boost.”

“Our ambulance service has been flooded with donations and offers of support – everything from Easter eggs to Personal Protective Equipment – and we’re thankful for each and every one.”

Richard Caring told us……

‘This is a time for reflection, patience, understanding, co-operation, trust, belief and most important of all; action! We have a hub of collective kitchens across the whole of the UK and we are blessed to have the most amazing staff and suppliers who truly want to help, even though there is risk involved. We applaud the wonderful network of our guests and friends of our brands for being so generous, not only with their good wishes, but also with actual donations and offers of support.”

“During these terrible times, with these unprecedented times upon us, we must all come together, help each other, support those desperately in need and I would say TOGETHER WE ARE STRONG and can make a real difference.”

The foundation continues to do amazing work and offers vital support during these increasingly tough times. If you’d like to find out more about the foundation, just go here CARING and for the Welsh Ambulance Service, go here AMBULANCE