'I wouldn't give some of it to a farmyard animal' - Caller upset at Covid food parcels
9 October 2020, 20:34
A caller has told LBC that some food provided by the Government for those shielding during lockdown wasn't fit for a farmyard animal.
James from Tottenham told Shelagh Fogarty that he was disappointed with the "nutritional value" of the food provided to a disabled woman that he has been looking after during the Covid crisis.
The woman was a recipient of one of the thousands of food boxes delivered through a Government-led programme to the most clinically vulnerable members of society during the national lockdown period.
Speaking of the food parcels, James told Shelagh: "On the one hand, we're very thankful for that and all of the logistics involved. But we were both very appalled by the quality of the food that was provided.
"I don't say that from a point of view of snobbery. I'm talking about the nutritional value of the food.
Housing Secretary explains role of new Covid patrols
"If there is anybody in society who needs to have food of a good nutritional quality, it would be people who are medically vulnerable."
James went on to be more specific about the problems he had with the food that had been provided to the woman he was supporting.
He explained: "On a regular basis, we'd open the box and the bag of fresh carrots had already decomposed to the degree that there was actually liquid coming out of the packet and spilling all over the floor..."
"I can't believe the person who prepared that food box on that day did not notice," he added.
Long Covid: Perfectly healthy cyclist now in wheelchair
The caller also spoke of how the woman was provided with loaves of white bread that were of "worse quality than the worst thing that you could ever buy at a supermarket".
"There were other things in the food box that had very poor nutritional value," James added.
"Some of it, to be honest with you, I wouldn't even give to a farmyard animal," he later said.
During the call, James also told Shelagh that he wanted to raise the issue in case it resurfaced with a second national lockdown.
