Nepalese restaurant sends out its 100,000th free meal of pandemic
A NEPALESE restaurant has delivered its 100,000th free meal to members of the community since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
Sujan Katuwal, owner of Panas Gurkha in Lewisham, south London, started giving away meals to NHS workers, homeless shelters and community centres after being forced to shut the restaurant’s doors during the first Covid lockdown last March.
Yesterday he was joined by actor Joanna Lumley, a longtime campaigner for the UK’s Nepalese community, as he delivered meals to the Royal Artillery Barracks in Greenwich, which took him past the 100,000 mark.
Ms Lumley said: “To look out and help people who are terribly busy and simply won’t have time to prepare food is such a
generous and open-hearted thing to do.
“They’ve looked after care workers, the homeless community and to crack through the 100,000-meal barrier is
simply sensational. It should inspire us all and it’s so heartwarming to hear of something so special happening so close to home in South London.”
The restaurant has spent tens of thousands of pounds on the Panas Helping Hands project and earlier this year set up a crowdfunding page to help keep the campaign going.
Mr Katuwal said it was “really special” to have had support from Ms Lumley throughout the pandemic.
Mr Katuwal and his wife Bandana have already received recognition for their work – they were given the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service last year.
As well as Ms Lumley they have had support from actor Sally Lindsay and the former drummer with The Style Council, Steve White.
Greenwich Council leader Dan Thorpe said yesterday: “I’d like to thank Panas Gurkha for the extraordinary work they have done during this pandemic.”