Sheffield organisations come together to deliver Ramadan food boxes to essential workers during coronavirus crisis

Organisations across Sheffield have joined together in order to deliver more than 150 food boxes for Muslim NHS and social care workers who are fasting during the coronavirus crisis.

Sheffield charity, Faith Star – who provide faith based accountancy services – came up with the idea to help the essential workers who are abstaining from food and drink – alongside Sabia Rehman, a Muslim Chaplin at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Two portions of curry and rice are now being delivered to over key workers in South Yorkshire to have during their sehri meal – before dawn, when they start their fast for the day – and at their iftar meal – after sunset, to close their fast.

Indian curry house, Balti King, in Broomhill has recruited extra staff in order to cook and deliver over 100 free meals a day for essential workers.

Chief Executive of Faith Star, Shahida Siddique said: "We're absolutely passionate about supporting all our front line workers but we were just really conscious that at this particular moment there were some doing that at a time when physically, they are not able to eat or drink for such long days.”

Shahida explained how the service has helped to support doctors and nurses working on the front line.

"We've got lovely, lovely messages saying 'thank you so much, I'm doing crazy hours at work and to come home and find a meal is just phenomenal'.

"They're absolutely exhausted and on top of that they are fasting and the last thing you want to do when you come home is start prepping your own food and it's an either a choice between sleep or food.

“I think it’s the least we can do for them.”

Balti King owner, Tony Hussain added: “Some of the people who we are helping now used to eat with us when they were students.

"That's why we've been here 29 years, that's one of the only advantages, helping people.”