Malmesbury mayor Campbell Ritchie and HEALS of Malmesbury chair Cllr Gavin‎ Grant joined Tetbury Calcot & Spa hotel’s final free emergency meals collection last week.

They were there to thank the team’s 10 professional chefs, led by executive chef Richard Davies, who prepared, produced and packaged more than 2,000 free meals for local vulnerable residents in the Malmesbury area since lockdown began.

"Calcot have done something quite amazing," said Cllr Gavin Grant, HEALS chair of Trustees.

"Their professionalism and kindness, backed by generous principal shareholders the Stone family, has given a real lifeline to vulnerable individuals and families.

"Many have been shielding from Covid‎ 19 and worried where their meals would come from."

Mayor Ritchie presented a signed certificate to Richard Davies to commemorate the hotel’s work.

He said: "Their wonderful work has made a massive difference to local residents.

"Not only providing delicious meals, but also seeing the friendly face of our volunteer delivery drivers three times a week.

"We picked up and solved a lot of other potential problems as a result.”

Executive chef Richard Davies added: "We have great team and fantastic facilities here.

"We all wanted to help when lockdown happened, isolating so many people.

“I knew about HEALS, spoke to Gavin and took it ‎from there.

"We have been very touched by the kind messages and thank you cards.

"It is good to know we have made a difference. "Now we have to focus on getting our business ready to reopen."

Also saying thank you was Sherston Parish Councillor Martin Smith, who led the Covid 19 welfare support volunteer work in the Sherston area, with more than 500 Calcot meals‎ distributed there.

"Everyone says the food tastes wonderful. It has meant a lot in our village to have this support and really helped so many people that needed it" said Cllr Smith.

After the Calcot visit, the mayor returned to Malmesbury Town Hall to thank all the volunteers involved in the delivery of the Calcot meals

In something of a military operation, more than 100 people have had a free Calcot meal in the last ten weeks.

Heals Trustees organised the lists, three minibus drivers drove the Cartmell Community minibus to Calcot and back three times a week.

The Town Hall was opened up as base of operations and 12 volunteers ‎worked out the routes and delivered them direct to the door.

“We simply could not have helped so many vulnerable people without our committed and kind volunteers" said Cllr Gavin Grant.

HEALS Emergency Meal on Wheels Service continues, thanks to support from The Red Bull Inn just outside Malmesbury, which is now home cooking 70 meals three times a week, delivered by six volunteer drivers, funded by the Heals emergency hardship fund.