Staff at an Indian restaurant in Norfolk are showing their appreciation for NHS workers by donating weekly meals to their hospital

Eastern Daily Press: Ali Anwar's sons Syed Milon and Syed Noyon have been helping cook meals for staff at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. Picture: Downham TandooriAli Anwar's sons Syed Milon and Syed Noyon have been helping cook meals for staff at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. Picture: Downham Tandoori (Image: Archant)

Ali Anwar, owner of Downham Tandoori, has been serving up meals to hospital staff at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH) in King’s Lynn with the help of his tandoori chefs, his brother-in-law Rassel Islam and two sons Syed Milon and Syed Noyon.

The team have been cooking meals voluntarily every Friday from the restaurant located on High Street in Downham Market after asking the local community to donate to the cause.

The restaurant closed due to the coronavirus and Mr Anwar decided to set up a ‘Curry Night’ for the QEH staff to show his gratitude for the work they are carrying out during this time.

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Eastern Daily Press: Meals cooked up at Downham Tandoori and donated to staff at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. Picture: Downham TandooriMeals cooked up at Downham Tandoori and donated to staff at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. Picture: Downham Tandoori (Image: Archant)

Mr Anwar said: “We started it two weeks ago. The thought just came to me when we decided to close the restaurant.

“The NHS are doing an incredible job, they’re working very hard and with what is going on at the minute, we have to appreciate them.

“So I thought why not ask our friends, our community and our customers for help with donations towards meals for the staff?

“The reaction has been incredible, last Friday we made 300 meals for the NHS.”

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Mr Anwar and his team are hoping to continue their meal donations and aim to deliver 300 meals for staff on Friday, April 10.

He added: “Currently we can do 135 but we hope more people will donate to get us to 300.

“We’d like to do more and don’t want people at the hospital to miss out.”

Staff at the hospital have contacted Mr Anwar to express their thanks for the meals.

A worker at the QEH said: “We would like to personally thank all of you at the tandoori from all of us at the Rudham’s children ward at the hospital, you’re making a bad situation a little bit brighter.”

Mr Anwar is asking people to donate £5 to his PayPal account at milon771@hotmail.com.

He is also planning to provide meals to help vulnerable people and those unable to leave the house in the local community.

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