Old Wimbledonians Rugby Heroes
In the first week of April, the Old Wimbledonians Association’s resident chef Richard Brown decided that, rather than sit at home during lockdown, he’d open his kitchen at their Raynes Park clubhouse, and begin putting his skills to good use.
Working alongside local charity, the Dons Local Action Group (DLA), he began preparing ready-meals and packages of food to be distributed by the DLA to vulnerable people throughout Merton. With the DLA’s many collection points for food donations all across south west London, there was no shortage of ingredients or supplies.
Their service was extended to NHS staff working long, gruelling shifts to battle coronavirus, and so local hospitals were added to their distribution list.
“When the virus hit, we had a freezer full of food and I wondered if we could turn it into meals for local vulnerable people,” said Richard. “Now we’re providing meals to local hospitals too. A hospital in Epsom became an acute COVID-19 care centre, with medical staff staying at a Holiday Inn, but no catering staff in the kitchen. You can’t eat delivery pizzas forever.”
Project Doing a Bit
So, Project “Doing a Bit” was born, and caught the attention of local businesses. There were plenty of people who also felt their free time would be better spent helping others than sitting at home.
Wimbledon institutions such as The Alexandra Pub and the Rose and Crown Hotel soon got involved, using their closed facilities and large kitchens to help prepare more meals for NHS staff.
Old Wimbledonian Warriors parents Stefano and Naoko Vallebona, proprietors of an Italian food company of the same name, began donating and helping where they could as well. The staff at the nearby Fulham Football Club training ground in Motspur Park donated a large quantity of food that would otherwise have gone to waste.
Project Doing a Bit grew and grew, with invaluable support from organisations like Critical NHS, Mustard Foods, Food Relief UK, Solstice Food, Abel and Cole, Lady Wimbledon, Penni Black Catering, Bliss Coffee, the Morden Islamic Community Centre, the Hampton Wick Tandoori, the Princess of India Restaurant, Brake Bros. UK, the Leather Bottle Pub, Philippa’s Kitchen, and many, many more recognisable names from the area.
The Numbers
By Sunday 25 May approximately 22,862 meals had been delivered over the course of seven weeks, with 20,312 of those going to the NHS.
That included delivering warm food, fresh fruit, home-made cakes and muffins, and other essential supplies to hospitals such as St George’s Tooting, Epsom, St. Helier, Kingston, Queen Mary's Roehampton, Royal Surrey County, and East Surrey.
Many of the Old Wimbledonians’ members, friends, and family work at some of those hospitals, and the club couldn’t be more proud of the bravery and dedication they’ve shown since the coronavirus outbreak.
Light at the end of the Tunnel
After 49 days of hard work, chef Richard and his team have prepared their last meal for the NHS for the time being. It was delivered to the amazing staff at the neo-natal unit at St George’s Hospital; an NHS Trust with plenty of strong ties to the club.
There’s no doubt that, if called upon again, everyone involved in Project Doing a Bit would be ready and willing to leap back into action and continue to support the NHS.
Well-deserved recognition
Some highlights of the project have included: A visit to the club by local MP Stephen Hammond, featured on the front page of Wimbledon Times, chef Richard also earned well-deserved praise by featuring in the Guardian’s spotlight on coronavirus volunteers at the end of April, and, thanks to the efforts of Warriors coach Simon Otter and his vast team of volunteers, the club came together to bake a stunning 25,000 muffins for the NHS in just 10 days.
What’s next?
While the many complex challenges of coronavirus are far from over, Richard and his team will keep preparing meals for vulnerable and isolated members of the community, as well as local organisations such as the Kaleidoscope Project in Kingston.
The Old Wimbledonians and all its members will also continue to support the DLA in their daily efforts to collect donations. They're asking for everything from food, to second-hand clothing, and even unwanted electronic devices to help children learn from home.
Huge thanks are due to all the club volunteers – delivery drivers, chef Richard, temporary sous-chef (and OWRFC Head Coach) Matt Bell, over 1,000 families who have been baking, the team responsible for packaging and labelling the ready-meals, and everyone else involved. Special thanks also to Greg Martis, who launched the NHS branch of the project following the request from a neighbour who is a doctor.
A staggering £8,574 has already been donated, but they’re still aiming for a total of £10,000 to fuel the project over the next few weeks so please continue to contribute if possible.
