Essential foods have been provided free of charge to staff at Maidstone Hospital and Tunbridge Wells Hospital courtesy of a Kent based family run business.

Watts Farms, in Aylesford, sent a lorry filled with goods such as milk, bread, tinned food and juices which were handed out to staff during their break at Maidstone Hospital on Tuesday 7 April and Tunbridge Wells Hospital on Thursday 16 April.

The generous donation was made by the company as a way of saying thank you to local NHS staff members who are working relentlessly, both on the frontline and behind the scenes, during the coronavirus pandemic.

Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust’s Director of Estates and Facilities Doug Ward said: “We are extremely grateful to Watts Farms for its generous offer. I know how much it meant to staff.

“Since the pandemic, MTW NHS Trust has been inundated with offers of food from various local businesses – both big and small. Donations have also been made to the Trust’s dedicated charity which is in the process of putting together care packages for its staff. The kindness that has been shown during these challenging times knows no bounds.

“Thank you to everyone who has shown their support in some way shape or form over the last few weeks. I can assure you your gestures have not gone unnoticed.”

Watts Farms Director Ed Gray said: “It felt great being able to directly help the NHS staff who are working so hard to fight the coronavirus.

“Before going into business I trained as a medic so I have a lot of friends on the frontline and I felt like I wanted to do my part and help where I can.

“We recently launched an online shop which we’ve had a lot of support for so we’re also offering a discount code for NHS staff – NHSHERO – which gives them free delivery.”

If you would like to support MTW NHS Trust, you can make a donation to Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Charitable Fund via its JustGiving page – www.justgiving.com/campaign/nhshero

For non-financial donations please email mtw-tr.covidpublicsupport@nhs.net