A Reading catering company has cooked more than 3,000 free meals for emergency services and charities during the coronavirus lockdown.
Flavour of Mauritius lost all its catering contracts from March until September when the Covid-19 lockdown came into force, losing an estimated £60,000 in profit.
Yogeeta Faulkner, who runs the business, decided to prepare and deliver hot meals with all of the leftover stock, and has donated meals to NHS, Police, fire service and ambulance staff in Reading, as well as charities helping people in need.
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Ms Faulkner celebrates her 43rd birthday today (June 3) and her husband Mark Faulkner contacted the Chronicle hoping she could receive a mention for all her hard work and dedication.
Her husband said: “Due to the lockdown we had lots of stock that we were suppose to use for the events which are now cancelled.
“So instead of selling it and getting as much as we can my wife decided to donate it, despite her hardship and had terrible loss. She has a heart of gold.
“She has even been buying extra food herself to donate and a few people have donated food to her."
Flavour of Mauritius has been supplying curries, fritters, noodles, chips and more to emergency staff and charities for those in need, cooking from morning to night, with her husband delivering when he is not at work.
Mr Faulkner said: “All of them have commented about how wonderful the food is and they have put it on their Facebook pages praising her, as we have put photos and posts on ours.
“I would be so happy if she could receive a mention for all her hard work and dedication.”
Spring and summer is the busiest time for catering companies like Flavour of Mauritius.
The Reading-based company had many big events booked, with the aim of opening a restaurant by the end of the year, but have now lost an anticipated £60,000 in profit from cancelled summer events.
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Flavour of Mauritius has not received any financial help from the government and Ms Faulkner, also known as Hema, has not even received universal credit.
Mr Faulkner added: “I feel that the government should be obliged to help everyone and not just certain people or businesses.
“The bottom line is that the government decided to lock the country down which would adversely affect the economy so the government should compensate everyone in business.”
If you want to support the company during this tough time, Flavour of Mauritius is doing a special father’s day takeaway menu which you can find on their Facebook page here and will soon start a regular takeaway service.
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