A CHIPPING Norton entrepreneur has launched a not-for-profit initiative Hospitality for Heroes.

Oli Coles was in the midst of launching OtherClub, when he decided to put his business on hold and prioritise protecting the hospitality industry and feeding the NHS, through the new initiative.

Whilst in lockdown in his Chipping Norton cottage, Oli kickstarted Hospitality for Heroes by a simple Instagram nominate challenge whereby chefs challenge one another to share a recipe to encourage creative and healthy cooking at home.

Hospitality for Heroes now delivers more than 8,000 high quality dishes a week to 11 hospitals, in London, and has raised over £60,000 of its £100,000 target.

Mr Coles said: "Working in the very heart of the hospitality industry, it became evident to me that something drastic needed to happen in order to keep the hospitality industry alive whilst also providing a turn-key solution to the problem the NHS workforce were finding - a lack of access to food, and a lack of healthy, nutritious produce available.

"I wanted to create a not-for-profit initiative that could keep London’s finest independent and furloughed chefs at work, support local suppliers, boost morale whilst ensuring our NHS heroes are well fed on a daily basis.”

Top chefs preparing daily meals from nine restaurants include Sally Abe, Head Chef of London’s only Michelin starred pub, The Harwood Arms; Matt Abe, Chef at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay; Rose Ashby, Head Chef of Spring; Alex Head, Head Chef of Social Pantry and Ollie Templeton and Mark Tittiet, Head Chefs of Carousel to name a few. Other notable chefs involved in the campaign include Marcus Wareing, Adam Handling, Anna Haugh, Tom Griffiths and Jeremy Chan.

Mr Coles added: “This initiative and its organic growth has demonstrated the productive power of social media and the positive impact and strength the hospitality industry has when it is united.

"We’re looking to possibly set up outside of London, regionally where there is definitely a need.

"The long term plan for Hospitality for Heroes, which is now a registered community interest company, is to always provide those in need with quality dishes. And the restaurants we’re working with have already said they’re really keen to keep this going even after the current crisis.”