Hero shopkeeper works non-stop to donate food and facemasks to those who need them most

Sunny Patel has been donating facemasks and food to frontline workers as well as the most vulnerable in a bid to help during the coronavirus crisis.

The businessman runs the QMS Store in Ferndale Road as well as the Alexandra Park Convenience Store in Wroughton. He's also working with The Patriot Arms in Chiseldon which is now known as The Smokehouse and Swindon Volunteer Group.

And as soon as the crisis came along he swung each of his businesses into action to help where it was needed most and partnered to do this with The Swindon Volunteers Group. This is a new organisation set up by members of the public to help those who need assistance during the lockdown, which has so far had more than 150 people coming forward to pick up shopping and deliver medicine and free meals to the vulnerable. Already 150 to 250 people have benefited from these services.

He said: "When this all started, I just thought we all needed to pull together and do everything we could to help each other. There were lots of shops who started to put up their prices for things like facemasks but I just thought that is not exactly what we should be doing right now. We should be helping. I have a good supplier and I managed to get hold of about a thousand facemasks which I have since been giving away to all of those who need it.

"We have also been delivering essential food supplies to those who need it most, cooking meals at The Smokehouse and delivering those or people have been able to come and collect it.

"This is for the most vulnerable and those on the frontline who might not have had time to shop like NHS workers."

Sunny has also got plans to work with the charity Threshold who help with the town's homeless situation as well as delivering food directly to the hospital.

The meals that they have been cooking for those that need it include curry and pasta but anyone who requires one needs to contact Sunny and his team or The Smokehouse making sure they let them know if they have any allergies.

He said: "People can come into the shops and we will give a free mask to everyone who needs one who are elderly or vulnerable people. People can also collect the food supplies that they've let us know they need. 

"A lot of people are isolated at the moment so we are also calling on volunteers to help deliver essential food and supplies across Swindon, Wroughton and Chiseldon.

"There's a lot of people simply at home at the moment who are fit and healthy and they could come forward to help and volunteer and help us deliver. We all need to be doing something to help others even if it's just checking on a neighbour."

Swindon Volunteer Group, founded by Pradeep Bhadwaj of the Swindon Hindu Temple, has also partnered with other businesses like Brocolli Pasta & Pizza in the Brunel Centre and The Smokehouse. Please get in contact with them if you can help and in the Westlea area parish councillor Suresh Gattapur is helping elderly and vulnerable people as part of the group and if you can help him please contact Suresh.

Anyone who needs helps or wants to volunteer should get in contact below.

Sunny can be contacted by calling him on 07807 037231 or by email on [email protected].

Or you can call the store directly on 01793 321101 or Sanjay at The Smokehouse on 07587 694373.

Swindon Volunteer Group can be contacted at [email protected]

Suresh Gattapur -  07725 207974

Pradeep Bhadwaj - 07725 582624