Zhang Min is the owner of a Chinese tea shop in Newcastle. She graduated from the University of Sunderland in 2017. One year after graduation, she set up a Chinese bubble tea shop called “Joyo” in Newcastle.
Although Zhang Min already lives in Newcastle, she is always concerned about China. After she saw the news of pneumonia in Wuhan, China on the Internet at the end of January 2020, Zhang Min and her husband immediately donated 40,000 masks to several hospitals in Wuhan.
‘We saw in the news that many hospitals in Wuhan lack masks. People in other parts of China, whether they are celebrities or ordinary people. Many people donated their love, some donated money, and some donated medical supplies. These moves moved me very much, and I wanted to do something. So I wondered if I could transfer some masks back in the UK.
Min Zhang and her husband looked up the contact details of many medical device companies on the Internet, and finally reached a deal with a medical device company with enough masks.
‘That day my husband and I drove to a medical equipment company in Teaside for more than an hour and brought 45,000 masks. We leave 5,000 in the store and distribute it to people for free, and they can get masks for free wherever they come from. With the remaining 40,000 masks, we drove five hours to Heathrow. We found more than 20 volunteers flying to China and seeking help to return home. Fortunately, they were happy to help us and eventually sent the masks to several hospitals in Wuhan. ‘
JOYO as the only Chinese restaurant in Newcastle to donate a mask to Wuhan. Zhang Min said, “We will continue to adhere to our philosophy, not only to seriously cook food, but also to maintain our original intention.”
Recently, under the influence of Covid-19, the local situation in the UK is not so optimistic. Many students couldn’t buy masks, so Min Zhang contacted other medical companies to buy masks and provide them with masks.
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