Second Hotel at Stamford Bridge Given Over to NHS Staff
With first now reaching capacity, Chelsea FC provide 160 more rooms free of charge
Now, as occupancy of the Millennium Hotel has now reached full capacity, the 160 room Copthorne Hotel has also opened its doors. Like the first, the second hotel is available free of charge to any frontline workers in need of accommodation.
The hotels' website says: "The Millennium and Copthorne Hotels at Chelsea Football Club are working in partnership with Chelsea Football Club and the NHS to provide accommodation for the NHS staff during this critical time. Please note that reservations for Millennium and Copthorne Hotels will not be accepted through the website or the hotel directly for NHS staff accommodation."
Staff using the hotels are from local hospitals including Chelsea and Westminster, just a short walk along Fulham Road from Stamford Bridge and Charing Cross Hospital in Fulham Palace Road.
The initiative came from club owner Roman Abramovich and, after contact with the NHS was made by Chairman Bruce Buck, it was decided the best way Chelsea could assist the NHS is to provide accommodation for NHS staff.
Mr Abramovich will be covering the costs of providing the accommodation in both hotels.
Many of the medical staff will be working long shifts and may not be able to travel home or would otherwise have to make long commutes. Local accommodation helps maintain the health and well-being of these crucial personnel at this critical time.
Chelsea FC also announced last week that will distribute 3,000 free meals every week to staff at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust Hospitals, including Charing Cross and Hammersmith, as well as elderly and vulnerable people across our borough.
The meals are being prepared by the club's catering partner Levy and distributed daily for an initial period of six weeks - making an overall total of 78,000 meals.
This new initiative is also aimed at helping NHS staff who are working long shifts and therefore may find it difficult to obtain good-quality food on a regular basis.
The club says it also forms part of its continued effort to support the most vulnerable in our community during the global coronavirus pandemic.
The meals will be provided to Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust across their five local hospitals -St Mary’s in Paddington, Charing Cross Hospital in Fulham Palace Road, Hammersmith and Queen Charlotte's and Chelsea in White City and the Western Eye in Marylebone Road.
Chelsea FC will also be working alongside charity partners to support the elderly, those in sheltered accommodation and vulnerable groups. These include Age UK, The Smile Brigade, Unity Works, and other housing units in London.
Chelsea Chairman Bruce Buck said: "We are and have always been committed to supporting our communities, especially the vulnerable, and at this time we recognise this is more important than ever.
"Our owner, Roman Abramovich, has been instrumental in challenging us to find ways to support those in need and after we successfully launched the Refuge campaign and made the Millennium Hotel at Stamford Bridge available to the NHS, this was the priority so I am pleased to see it begin."
Professor Julian Redhead, medical director at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust said: "All our staff are working incredibly hard to support our patients and their loved ones during this very challenging time and it’s so important that staff can access healthy, nutritious food.
"We’re hugely grateful for this generous new initiative from Chelsea Football Club, which helps us to support the health and wellbeing of our incredible people."
April 24, 2020