MINE hosts at a village pub are serving-up a special tribute to NHS staff during the coronavirus crisis.

The Dog & Gun, at Malsis, has pledged to donate 200 restaurant meals each week to Airedale Hospital.

The meals are being distributed amongst night staff.

Anita and Ross Walker, who have been at the pub, in Colne Road, for 18 years, said they were delighted to be able to send the first delivery of meals.

The meals are complete, ready to be simply warmed-up and enjoyed by the staff.

The range of options which the pub has on offer to takeaway customers includes chillis, curries, fish pie, Mexican chicken, sausage and mash and many more.

All are restaurant quality and will help take the strain off staff from finding something suitable to take for their break during the night.

The first meals were boxed-up and driven by car last Monday to the hospital where they were eagerly anticipated.

Mrs Walker said: “During this awful time that we are all going through, we wanted to give something back to our brilliant NHS heroes.

“So with the help of our friends and colleagues we are delighted to have arranged with Airedale Hospital to provide 200 restaurant meals free every week for as long as we are able.

“We understand this will feed the entire night shift when there is no canteen available, and which they can heat up and enjoy whenever time allows them.

“Because we operate such a big menu we were already equipped to supply individual meals.

“We have been offering hot takeaways and/or ready meals to our customers who are self isolating or who cannot get out.

“This has proved very popular and it gives people restaurant-quality meals for their convenience.

“A major benefit to us as employers is that it has enabled us to keep some of our staff in full employment as well as helping the community.

“We would like to say a major thank you to Jason – owner of Ellesmere Press in Skipton – who has donated the labels for us and to everyone that is helping us do this.

“We have also linked with long-time supplier Wellocks who offer fruit, vegetable and grocery packs which can be collected from us rather than going into stores.

“Ross and I have been at the Dog and Gun Inn for 18 years and look forward to many more when this is all over.”

As an additional help for NHS staff, the couple have already been offering a discount but decided to go further and between them came up with the idea of the meals.

The meals are going to be delivered to the hospital but on a different day each week so different staff get the chance to enjoy them.