South Shields restaurant Zeera feeding families in need during healthcare crisis

South Shields restaurant Zeera is helping to feed three isolating families in need, with regular deliveries of their dishes.
Zeera in Ocean Road, South ShieldsZeera in Ocean Road, South Shields
Zeera in Ocean Road, South Shields

Working in partnership with local community food bank and crisis response team, Hebburn Helps, the Ocean Road favourite is keeping families who’ve been hit particularly hard by the crisis well fed.

One is the family to a young boy going through chemotherapy, another a low income family with a disabled child and another an NHS worker, who all live in the Jarrow and Hebburn area.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Shahanoor Choudhury, owner of Zeera, said: “We just want to do our bit to help our community.

“Times are really tough right now, for everyone, but where we can help, we will.

“We’re a family-run restaurant, with family values and all of our customers know us so well for that.

“The people of South Tyneside have supported us for over 10 years now, so we want to support them too.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

It comes as the Gazette is running its #actsofkindness campaign to highlight the amazing things people are doing to help others in their community.

Angie Comerford, who is the team leader at voluntary community organisation, Hebburn Helps, said: “We just want to say a massive, massive thank you to Shah and the team at Zeera.

“This isn’t the first time he’s helped us and once again Zeera has pulled out all of the stops. We’re so grateful for any donations to Hebburn Helps, as at a time like this, we need it more than ever.”

Working closely with schools and the most vulnerable in the community, the team are providing around 100 school meals a day to low income families.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The voluntary organisation is still open throughout these uncertain times, and is seeking donations of long-life food from any locals that can help.

Shahanoor and his team are regularly visiting local NHS workers and care workers throughout South Tyneside, taking them free meals as a thank you for their hard work.

Whilst the restaurant has closed following Government guidelines, their takeaway and contactless collection service is still available.

NHS workers are also entitled to free delivery and free poppadums with their NHS ID.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

To donate to the Hebburn Helps organisation visit www.hebburnhelps.co.uk.

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards in the world. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news and information by buying a copy of our newspaper.

Thank you

How to subscribe to the print edition

It’s easy to subscribe to your local newspaper. We have arranged a special 20 per cent off subscription offer for people to take advantage of. Visit www.localsubsplus.co.uk, choose the newspaper title, the type of subscription and enter your details.