A SPECIALIST healthy snack distributor is helping frontline workers through the coronavirus crisis with hundreds of nutritious donations.

Epicurium, a wholesaler which is based in Consett, has delivered food parcels to Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, and Alice House Hospice in Hartlepool.

The parcels include over 400 individual packs of ‘on the go’ healthy snacks, which are made with natural ingredients, from some of the UK’s bestselling brands.

The company’s customer engagement manager Michael Ratheram said: “We thoroughly appreciate and acknowledge the incredibly important roles frontline staff are playing in combating Covid-19 and helping these amazing, brave people was a no-brainer for Epicurium.

“What this crisis has emphasised is the need for further initiatives to aid our health and wellbeing.

“It is a time where we all need to work together and assist each other.

“As a company we wanted to give something back to frontline staff and say ‘thank you’ to them for their outstanding work.

“We hope that our small gesture will provide them with a little wholesome pick-me-up and a boost of energy.”

Fellow County Durham-based firm Concept IT, which has provided fully managed IT services to Epicurium for six years, is backing the donation campaign.

Kevin Embleton, managing director of Concept IT, put the wholesaler in touch with Alice House Hospice and has contacted numerous charities and healthcare providers, who are also clients of the firm and would benefit from the support.

He said: “The team at Epicurium know how passionate we are to help people.

“They’re a fantastic organisation who are much like Concept.

“They are fair, ethical and quality focused.

“Everyone is suffering but it’s in times like these that you can measure an organisation.

“The desire to help and support is a human instinct that we can all use to create good.

“If we all work together then all of our local businesses will be stronger once this is over.”

Epicurium has said it is aiming to make more donations to other organisations over the coming weeks.

Sandra Britten, deputy chief executive, at the hospice, which is preparing to receive Covid-19 patients from hospitals, said: “Epicurium’s very kind donation was hugely appreciated by all members of staff.

“The quality and variety of healthy snacks went down a storm.

“Our team are working extremely hard seven days a week, 24 hours a day through the coronavirus pandemic to ensure that essential hospice inpatient and homecare services are delivered during this very difficult time.

“The kindness which Epicurium has shown has given everyone in the hospice an extra boost, especially those who are having to spend time away from their families.”