A MIDDLESBROUGH gym and meal prep business owner has been putting together essential food and care packages for vulnerable people in the community and local hospitals in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Mike Hind, from Eston, is using all profits made by his meal prep company, Macro Based Diner, to deliver healthy meals to NHS and key workers, as well as elderly people and families who are struggling to scrape funds together to buy food.

Mike said: “I had ten staff members at the gym, which has been affected. But instead of laying them off I have brought them over to the meal prep company and employed them to make packages for the vulnerable and NHS workers.

“We started off by making a few meals then delivering them around. I have a great rapport with a lot of cash and carry’s - they allowed me to go in to purchase those things like toilet rolls.”

Mike has an application form on his website (www.mikehindfitness.co.uk) under the covid-19 care package section. Applicants need to answer questions regarding who needs the care packages and what kind of items they need. Then Mike delivers the food and items free of charge, dropping off the packages so that no contact needs to be made.

Mike said: “As a company we are not going to profit from this terrible situation, in fact we will use the profits to help the local community. It’s times like these that show the type of business owners and health and fitness professionals for who and what they are. We are in this situation together so please know that by purchasing our meals we will be giving back to as many people in need as we can.”

He has received thousands of messages, and has used social media to get the word around.

Mike said: “I had one family in Middlesbrough who had been given a weeks worth of food and were given as little as five tomatoes and half a carrot. I’m trying to get food to as many people as possible.”

In Saltburn, he delivered a package to a family who had placed a sign in their window stating, "Mike is a legend".

He said: “Something needs to be done, we simply can’t allow people to suffer like they are.”

He is spending about £500 to £600 and working from 7am until 10.30pm a day to feed people in the area.