A Worcestershire cheese distributor is determined to do his bit for customers, frontline support workers and the vulnerable, in spite of the impact the Coronavirus lockdown is having on his own business.

Like many other food retailers, Adrian Nichols, Director of Evesham-based Elmley Sales and Marketing Ltd (a distributor for The Truckle Cheese Company), looks set to lose around 80% of his income this year, following the cancellation of the food and countryside shows where he sells his cheese.

But, following Government restrictions in an attempt to halt the spread of Covid 19, Adrian determined to pull together and get food out to people in the community at large.

The Truckle Cheese Company continues to offer a 20% discount for NHS staff working on the frontline, and locally, it has donated truckles to Evesham's food bank and Offenham's Meals on Wheels service for the elderly and the vulnerable.

In early April, Mr. Nichols joined forces with Feli's Bar & Restaurant at Stoulton, supplying caramelised onion cheddar for chef Felice Tocchini to make 50 hot pasta meals for the Worcester Street Café which feeds the homeless. 

The Truckle Cheese Company, which has its headquarters in Cambridge, has donated a staggering £6,5000 worth of cheese to NHS hospitals, support hospitals, and key workers in the counties of Worcestershire, Gloucestershire, Cambridgeshire, Surrey, London, Norfolk and Suffolk.

Mildenhall Suffolk Constabulary, working hard to protect the public by enforcing lockdown, said it was extremely grateful for the company's kind donation. 

Cheese was also sent to Barchester Tewkesbury Fields Care Home, Tewkesbury and Gateway Food Bank, Bury St. Edmunds. 

Said Adrian: “Even in financially challenging times, it's not just about sales and orders – it's about getting food out to communities, and we're proud to be making a difference by keeping people sustained where others can't.

Every day I'm hearing that foodbanks are seeing a rise in referrals and a huge hike in demand compared to last year. Donations are decreasing, just as more people are coming to them for the first time, following reduced income and in some cases job losses. It's a real struggle to provide for everyone, and we want to help.

It's also about boosting morale of course, for those who are battling to save lives on the frontline. After a long and stressful shift, we hope they can relax and unwind with a bit of cheese and a glass of their favourite tipple!

We have customers with relatives working long hours as doctors and paramedics at hospitals down in the South. It was good to hear from Dr. Matt Edwards at King's College Hospital, London who said he and his staff had thoroughly enjoyed the cheese we sent after a very long day.”

Adrian has received many more lovely thank you messages: 

“We have been overwhelmed by the generosity of our local communities and companies – who are doing all they can to ensure that the key workers in our hospitals are able to get essential items as easily as possible at this unprecedented time. The tremendous support from Truckle Cheese will not only help towards keeping our teams' hunger and bay, but also support with their morale and motivation”.

Jason Levy - Head of Worcestershire Acute Hospitals Charity 

“Thank you so much for your wonderful donations to Gloucester and Cheltenham Hospitals and Gloucestershire Constabulary, and Tewkesbury Fields Care Home! I know these are only a few of the people and care workers you have donated to - all those heroes on the front line involved in helping all of us through this horrendous pandemic.Organisations like you are doing an absolutely fantastic job to make them feel special, valued and appreciated, in return for doing such selfless, vital work and risking their own lives. Well done Truckle Cheese.”

In return for literally trying to save lives for us all, doing such selfless, vital work, and risking their own lives.

Dr. Lesley Macmorland – Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

“'The staff were very pleased and appreciative of your kind donation.”

Jeremy Church - Barchester Tewkesbury Fields Nursing Home  

“The C3 Church (www.thec3.uk) have been supporting our community who are isolating, have lost income or are on social benefits and require emergency food support. Truckle cheese have donated such a generous amount of their delicious cheese, and this helps us to create nutritious and balanced food parcels. We are so grateful!

Holly Miller – The C3 Church

“A huge thank you for the very generous donation of your amazing cheese that you have given to Cambridge City Council front line workers in these challenging times. It is very generous of you and needless to say so very yummy!
Thank you again.”

Andy Keaves - Cambridge City Council

Mr. Nichols also heads up the mail order business for The Truckle Cheese Company, and says the firm is concentrating its efforts in this area while the restrictions are in place. 

It is operating a strict non-profiteering policy during the pandemic, and has regular offers on its product.

Unlike the big supermarkets, it can offer a next day delivery service too.  

“During lockdown the business has seen an unprecedented demand for its online service, as existing customers increase the size and frequency of their orders, and an influx of new customers join the client base,” said Adrian. 

“Through necessity, customers are migrating to online shopping at the moment, and with shows and events unlikely to come back until Autumn at the earliest, this is the business model we will need to rely on for the foreseeable future. 

Even by September, I am not sure how confident people will be about venturing out to buy face to face again, so there may well be a sea change for our business moving forward.” 

For current offers from The Truckle Cheese Company please visit: https://www.trucklecheese.co.uk/monthly-deals

For more information, please contact:

Adrian Nichols – Director

Elmley Sales and Marketing Ltd

Distributor for The Truckle Cheese Company. 

Telephone:      01386 760 000.

Email:              adrian@trucklecheese.co.uk

Website:          www.trucklecheese.co.uk

Editor's Notes: 

The Truckle Cheese Company sources and sells outstanding, delicious British cheeses and accompaniments.  It scours the UK for the very best producers and makers. Its heart is in the rural farming community and with more than 15 years within this specialist sector, is trusted for the quality and consistency of supply.

Richard Callum, MD of The Truckle Cheese Company, has more than 40 years' experience within this specialist sector.