A Wirral Indian restaurant is leading the way in vegan and gluten free options

A Wirral Indian restaurant is:- 'leading the way' in vegan and gluten free options. Karma Indian Food, in West Kirby, has dedicated vegan and gluten free menus; putting them way ahead of most other traditional Indian restaurants, where vegan and gluten free options are often just an afterthought.

Located on Grange Road in the heart of West Kirby, Karma is a 3rd generation independent that blends the traditional family recipes with a forward thinking approach. In addition to having a stylish modern interior, the menus are refined and include dedicated ones for vegan and gluten free diners.

Rather than diners having to trawl through an extensive main menu wondering what's suitable for them, the dedicated menus are simply set out and easy to read. Both the vegan and gluten free menus have hundreds of combinations with a few different dishes in each section of the menus.

The vegan menu has starters, sides, small plates, vegan specials, classics and a good number of rice and breads. Meanwhile, the gluten free menu has:- starters, sides, small plates, biryanis, chicken dishes, lamb dishes, seafood dishes, vegetable dishes, classics and plenty of rice and breads. The restaurant has developed a fantastic reputation amongst those with intolerances and food preferences.

Owner Hussain Miah said:- "We're so proud of all the recipes and traditions passed down from our Grandfather and also our Grandmother, who was Wirral's 1st ever female Bengali chef. We'll always be very respectful of all that we've been taught but some things do need taking into the 21st Century. We like to be creative with our dishes and give them a modern twist; you'll find some really interesting dishes on our menus. We also don't want vegan and gluten free options to just be an afterthought or lost in a big menu; We've decided to step up and provide dedicated menus to make sure we're being inclusive."

The move has proven to be popular amongst diners and has even led to a vegan wedding celebration being hosted at the restaurant. A fine example of how Karma has adapted seamlessly to the needs of a changing world, the restaurant has struck a perfect balance of old School tradition and modern innovation.

Hussain summarised:- "Although tradition is so important, it's also important to move with the times. We're always listening to our customers' needs; something that many business owners forget to do when they're so fixated on running the place. Having the dedicated and simplified vegan and gluten free menus has been received so well and some say all restaurant should be this way."

A Wirral Indian restaurant is:- 'leading the way' in vegan and gluten free options. Karma Indian Food in West Kirby has dedicated vegan and gluten free menus; putting them way ahead of most other traditional Indian restaurants, where vegan and gluten free options are often just an afterthought.

Health minister shown how work ready NHS professionals are developed

THE UK's Minister for Health and Secondary Care Rt Hon Andrew Stephenson CBE MP toured the University of Central Lancashire's School of Medicine and Dentistry to learn more about how its continued growth and development is producing work ready professionals for the NHS.

The University of Central Lancashire's School of Medicine and Dentistry 1st opened its doors for medicine in 2015.

The Member of Parliament for Pendle was shown the University's state of the art facilities by Pro Vice-Chancellor Professor Cathy Jackson, who set up the School of Medicine, and Dr Colin Michie who is the Associate Dean of the School.

Pro Vice Chancellor Professor Cathy Jackson said:- "At the University of Central Lancashire we are proud to train future doctors and physician associates. We also prepare students for other healthcare careers and we develop the skills and knowledge of qualified professionals in the sector."

Mr Stephenson is responsible for NHS secondary care, the NHS workforce and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). During the tour, Mr Stephenson was shown the University of Central Lancashire's clinical skills laboratories, with high fidelity clinical human simulators and learning centres containing new anatomical models and virtual dissection tables.

Significant expansion of medical School places was identified as a priority in the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan, published in June 2023. In October 2023, the University of Central Lancashire was granted:- 35 of 205 new undergraduate medical places. Vice Chancellor of the University of Central Lancashire Professor Graham Baldwin met privately with Mr Stephenson to discuss future UK-funded medical School numbers.

Following the tour, Minister for Health and Secondary Care Rt Hon Andrew Stephenson CBE MP said:- "The University of Central Lancashire's School of Medicine and Dentistry delivers on the Region's need to recruit and retain health professionals for the NHS. During my tour of the facilities, I met some highly talented and motivated students who I know will go on to rewarding careers. It is vital highly talented students are given the opportunity to study medicine to help solve some of the health inequalities that our local communities face. I will continue to work with the University of Central Lancashire to ensure the pathway to a good career in the NHS is available to everyone."

Andrew, who has a degree in Management Studies from the University of London, was the 1st in his family to attend University.