Generous Scouts kept Walsall Healthcare workers going during Ramadan by donating dozens of food packs.
Forty members of the 786th Wolverhampton (North District and West Mercia) group distributed packages to staff working at Walsall Manor Hospital.
The boxed gifts, which came complete with a letter of peace and compassion, were for Iftar, the fast-breaking evening meal in Ramadan and Muslims’ second meal of the day, eaten after dusk.
Containing a chicken or vegetarian option with rice, plus a dessert of banana, apple and dates, the packs were part of a total of more than 400 food parcels distributed around the area by the 786th Wolverhampton group, which is based in Whitmore Reans.
Ahmed Salloo, Muslim Chaplain at Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust, said: “We have developed a really good relationship with the Scouts and they were only too happy to make this donation. This has enabled our staff to benefit from their wonderful generosity during Ramadan.
“Staff really appreciated the food packs and we had a steady stream of colleagues coming to the Trust Chaplaincy to collect the parcels.”
Among those who tucked into their meals were Sindhu Hameed, Sister, Emergency Department, and Dr Alam Mohammed, both pictured.
As part of the Scouts’ effort, around 100 staff tucked into the hearty packs at New Cross Hospital, part of The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, with 50 each going to the Heart and Lung Centre and the Integrated Critical Care Unit (ICCU) alone, plus 50 in the Emergency Department.
A further 80 went to Willenhall Ambulance Station, 30 packs each to five fire stations and 30 packs between local police teams, along with 14 triple-sized packs to foodbanks.
Khalid Ahmed, Leader of the 786th Wolverhampton group, said: “We are trying to put unity back into the community and if you can put someone in a good place for a while in our hectic lives then it might pass on to a patient and put them in a nice place, and so on.
“We want everyone on this earth to look after each other and hopefully this has brought some cheer to the staff across our local healthcare organisations and emergency services.”
As part of the event, a total of 250 people made up of Scouts plus their friends and families attended a celebration called ‘Iftar for our stars’ at Dunstall Community Centre in Whitmore Reans, Wolverhampton.