Hard-working nurses say they feel valued after Nando’s delivered about 50 free meals to their ward as they approached the end of a 13-hour shift.

The restaurant chain dropped off bags of peri-peri treats to grateful members of staff at the Kent and Canterbury Hospital on Saturday evening to thank them for their efforts during the coronavirus outbreak.

The tireless healthcare workers say the eatery brought meals for employees across the entire hospital.

Clarke ward nurse Laura Neville said: “I think they just wanted to show their appreciation for the NHS.

“They said they were sending it up as a thank you.”

Staff from the city centre restaurant called the hospital at about 5.30pm asking how many people were working there that evening.

An hour later, more than £200 of food was handed to thrilled doctors and nurses at the Ethelbert Road site.

Fellow Clarke ward nurse Hannah, who asked not to reveal her surname, says she and her colleagues had been working since 7.15am when the dishes arrived.

The 39-year-old said: “It meant a lot. It makes you feel a bit more appreciated while you’re dealing with the unknowns.

“Everyone else was really happy. We had enough for our ward, the next ward, the theatre staff and the people in the emergency care centre.”

This comes after emergency department staff at Medway Hospital were also treated to a free Nando’s on Friday, March 20.

Afterwards, a spokesman for the chain told KentOnline: "Giving the team at Medway Hospital some peri-peri yesterday was the least we could do while they work so tirelessly under extremely stressful conditions.

“We hope it kept them going during their long shift."

Nando’s has today announced it is closing all of its restaurants temporarily as a result of Covid-19.

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