Member Article

Community Minded Pub Supports Locals through Lockdown

One year on from being forced to close its doors due to coronavirus, a local pub is reflecting on how it has utilised the lockdown period to overhaul the way they do business – and to give back to the local community. The Victoria Public House in Walshaw, widely regarded as one of the best eateries in the area, has donated over 5000 meals to local families in need over the lockdown period. Recognising the devastating impact the pandemic has had on so many members of the community, the pub committed to donating food to people in the area adversely affected by COVID-19 through three local charities - The Attic Project, Caritas Red Door in Bury and Trinity foodbank in Radcliffe. In addition, the pub has cooked and donated over 1400 meals to local hospitals in conjunction with Meals 4 The NHS, donated meals to volunteers at Roch Valley radio, supplied patients and staff on the Ramsbottom ward with a fish and chip supper and provided volunteers at charity Baby Basics with hot meals.

Landlady Lisa Moore explains: “After we were forced to close last March, we quickly realised it was sink or swim. For the team at The Victoria, sinking simply wasn’t an option. After the initial blind panic, we decided to do the two things we do best – serving the highest quality food and serving our local community – in a slightly different way.” The business quickly adapted its menu to a takeaway service, complete with delivery, which has proved extremely popular, dishing up over 5000 takeaway meals over the past year. Wanting to take their new service to those in need, the team quickly made contact with several local charities to offer their support to vulnerable families who had been affected by lockdown. Michelle Delaney-Fargher from The Attic Project said: “The team at The Victoria have offered incredible support to so many communities across the borough. For The Attic Project alone, this includes the preparation of almost 800 hot meals to help our most vulnerable families. For many, this was the only home cooked meal they had that week. We are absolutely blown away by the kindness of Lisa and the team that has helped so many at this very difficult time, not only for us but for so many other community groups. “We can’t wait to offer our support to The Victoria as it starts to reopen”. The Victoria is a multi-award winning Bar, Restaurant and Guest House situated in the village of Walshaw, just outside Bury. It was fully refurbished and relaunched in 2017, with a vision to create a warm, friendly environment on the edge of the countryside, offering excellent quality food, drink and customer service. The heart of the local community, “The Vic” is committed to serving the local area through charity fundraising, community groups and the support of local good causes, including its “give back a day” scheme. The donated meals are just one element of an extensive list of community focussed activity that the business has carried out during the pandemic, which includes:

• Virtual Music Matinee via Facebook & the distribution of 75 cake selections to those in care homes, veterans & socially isolated • Donated over £1000 to date to NHS Charities together from the sales of our Takeaway service • Donated Meals & made donation of items to Baby Basics Bolton & Bury • Donated goodies to the staff located in Pennine House at Fairfield Hospital • Donated an IPad for the patients of Ramsbottom ward at Fairfield Hospital following a plea to allow their patients to communicate with their relatives & let them access games to help them whilst convalescing. • Collection point for donations for Annabelle’s Challenge Vascular eds Charity 7 sack challenge • Collection point for donations to Porch Boxes in connection with Christ Church Walshaw • Accommodated NHS staff working on the front line needing to isolate free of charge in guest accommodation

Landlady Lisa Moore said: “Here at The Victoria, the local community is at the heart of everything single thing we do - being there for our customers is what we love and what we do best. Whilst we’ve missed welcoming everyone to our usually busy bar and restaurant, being together in spirit has really kept us smiling through these difficult times.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Alison Mulrooney .