How Indian restaurant chain Aagrah is catering for carers in Leeds as well as clapping
An Indian restaurant chain hasn't just been clapping for carers - it has been catering for them too during the coronavirus crisis.
Each week on a Thursday just before the weekly Clap for Carers, the director and marketing manager from the family run Aagrah business have been dropping hundreds of meals off at St James's Hospital for staff there and at Leeds General Infirmary.
Tonight, director Naeem Aslam and marketing manager Eshaan Kapoor will be packing up the van with food and doing the same after taking the orders from the hospitals which could be for between 150 to 300 members of staff.
Aagrah is also planning to send out 600 meals next week to the LGI as staff will be celebrating Eid.
The restaurant had to get approval as a vendor to the NHS and, since the first drop off in April, they have supplied literally hundreds of meals from chicken curry to biryani, rice and extras.
A spokesperson for Aagrah said: "Every Thursday when the whole nation comes together to clap for the staff, we decided to do this for all the doctors and nurses and provide food. The team from the NHS tell us how many they need and we give them options. Whatever they need, we will provide.
"They can have what they want. NHS staff and key workers are all on the frontline helping people out so whatever we can do from our side, we just want to help people."
While Aagrah don't make anything from the donations it has enabled them to keep their chefs working while its chains across the region have been forced to close during the coronavirus lockdown.
They added: "I can't even tell you the reaction. We go there to drop it off and their reaction is so overwhelming, you can see them smiling and these happy faces. They sent messages to us afterwards and it was so lovely."