A COOKERY school encouraged local businesses to donate snacks for NHS staff in time for the weekend.

Maymessy, based near Wantage, asked local businesses to donate snacks, and ended up putting together 30 boxes to give to staff at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford.

On Friday, the team were able to hand over boxes full of jams, marmalade and Easter eggs donated by Comfy Class – a luxury travel business also based near Wantage.

Flapjacks and cookies were made by the teenagers of Maymessy’s chef, 16-year-old Mabel and 15-year-old Tilda.

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Maymessy founder Anna Richards said: “Like everyone else, we feel incredibly grateful to have the NHS and we wanted to help support these amazing people in our own small way.

“We are thrilled to have been given the opportunity to provide packages to critical care staff at the John Radcliffe every week.

"These NHS workers are all staying away from their families in a hotel so they can self-isolate, making this incredibly difficult time even harder. We hope our packages go some way to showing them our gratitude for all they are doing.”

The John Radcliffe staff member who received the first delivery said: “I can’t even tell you how grateful staff were this morning for your care packages. We really appreciate it and we even had tears.”