Staff at Cumberland Lodge in Windsor Great Park, have teamed up with the Crown Estate to prepare ready-made meals for more than 200 elderly and vulnerable people living in the park.

Cumberland Lodge is a 17th-century Grade II listed country house in Windsor Great Park - now occupied by a charitable foundation which holds residential conferences, lectures and discussions.

Its first food deliveries started last Thursday.

The charity’s long-standing head chef Robert Szewczyk, who lives in the Great Park, co-ordinated the project with Sous-Chef Ross Brooks who also lives on site.

The chefs prepared 900 meals, along with a selection of fresh fruit and vegetables, milk, bread and butter and venison sausages.

The costs of the food are being met by the Crown Estate. The parcels were collected by Crown Estate staff and delivered directly to people’s doorsteps.

The charity’s chief executive, Canon Dr Edmund Newell, said: "There are many people living in and around in Windsor Great Park who are isolated and vulnerable, and, as a charity that exists to contribute to the betterment of society we are pleased to be able to work in partnership with our friends and colleagues at the Crown Estate to provide practical help at this time.

"We have a reputation for great food, and our chefs, who would normally be cooking for hundreds of guests, have been working hard all week to ensure that our neighbours have healthy, ready-made meals to enjoy.

"We hope to continue providing this service for as long as it is needed, whilst we are able to do so."

All gatherings at Cumberland Lodge have been postponed and many of the household and administrative staff have been put on paid leave or asked to work from home whilst delivering the charity’s programme of events and discussions online.