How you can support NHS staff during coronavirus outbreak - with the help of this South Shields pub

The Marsden Inn, in South Shields, has teamed up with other organisations across the teown to collect donations of long-life food and drinks to be given to NHS workers who are dealing with the coronavirus outbreak.

The generous appeal is calling on members of the public to drop off food like instant noodles, crisps, biscuits and tinned goods at the Marsden Inn pub.

The collection, which kicked off on Friday, March 20, asks for items to be left at the pub each day with the pub open to donations from as early as 8am.

The combined effort will then see the food distributed to NHS workers in need on a regular basis as they work on the front line of the coronavirus outbreak.

Michael Ward, who took over the Marsden Inn and saved it from closure in 2019, hoped the community would rally round in support of our vital health care workers during this difficult time.

He said: “The Marsden Inn, together with Radio Shields, and South Shields Community Warriors – a group which carries out good work in the community – are asking for people to donate food for the staff at South Tyneside District Hospital.

“We have decided to donate the likes of long-life food such as crisps and biscuits to NHS staff working there.

“We are after food which can be kept for a long period of time and are asking for this to be dropped off at the Marsden Inn.

“We are appealing for anything that people can donate so that we can all do our bit for Shields at this time.

“It doesn’t have to be anything costing a great deal of money.

“Out effort is primarily to donate food to feed emergency workers, but if people would also like to donate some items to the food banks we will also be supporting them.”If the appeal is successful the effort will also look to extend to other NHS workers across the North East.