Rita Ora ‘hasn’t volunteered for a single NHS task despite signing up in April’
RITA Ora ‘hasn’t volunteered for a single NHS task’ despite announcing she had signed up to help while promoting her single How To Be Lonely in April.
Earlier this year, the NHS put out a call for volunteers to help carry out simple but vital tasks in light of the pandemic.
Tasks volunteers could be asked to do included transport of equipment and supplies between NHS sites, driving people to and from hospital, delivering food and medication, or make regular phone calls to check on those isolating at home.
Rita, 30, first mentioned that she enrolled to help during an appearance on The One Show on April 8.
The embattled hitmaker then reiterated that she had signed up to volunteer two days later [April 10] on This Morning.
At the time, hosts Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes clapped for her and her NHS worker mum Vera in light of her charitable action.
However, a new report has revealed that the Hot Right Now singer has failed to carry out any tasks via the NHS Volunteer Responders’ GoodSAM app.
A source told the Daily Star: “She was mentioned a few times during the promo circuit for her latest single How To Be Lonely, both on The One Show and This Morning.
“She saw first hand the issues and wanted to help but so far is yet to perform a single task.
“The way the app works is that it requires the user to actively log on, put their profile to ‘on duty’ and select a task from nearby locations. Only ‘Check In and Chat’ roles are not ‘geo-located’ as they are carried out by phone.”
In light of the report, a rep for Rita told The Sun Online: “Rita has signed up as an NHS volunteer but to date she has never been called up.
“She’s always been ready and willing.”
The latest furore for Rita comes after she flouted coronavirus lockdown rules by throwing a party for 30 pals at a Notting Hill restaurant on Saturday night.
The Sun exclusively revealed that Rita had offered to pay a £10k fine after throwing an “inexcusable” birthday bash – but it hasn’t appeased her followers.
Writing on Instagram earlier this week, the singer had said: “Hello all, I attended a small gathering with some friends to celebrate my 30th birthday.
“It was a spur of the moment decision made with the misguided view that we were coming out of lockdown and this would be OK…
“I’m deeply sorry for breaking the rules and in turn understand that this puts people at risk,” she added. “This was a serious and inexcusable error of judgement.
“Given the restrictions, I realise how irresponsible these actions were and I take full responsibility .
“I feel particularly embarrassed knowing first-hand how hard people have worked to combat this terrible illness and being fully aware of the sacrifices that people and businesses have made to help keep us all safe. Even though this won’t make it right, I want to sincerely apologise.”
Thirty people attended the secret bash at a restaurant in West London on Saturday, November 28.
Showbiz pals were among those gathered at posh Casa Cruz restaurant in Notting Hill, including Cara Delevingne .
Rita’s sister Elena, 32, Towie pal Vas Morgan, 31, and others were seen sneaking through the back exit clutching bottles of alcohol including Rita’s own-brand tequila.
At one stage, police visited the restaurant, with officers seen peering through the windows and trying to open a heavy-duty security door.
A source said: “Rita and her sister came to the restaurant first, all dolled up and clearly looking forward to a good night.
“There were a number of guests, all dressed up very glamorously, and everyone entered the building through the back, with security watching the front to make sure no one else went in. It went on until the early hours.”
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Nicholas Fallows, who is listed as the sole director of Casa Cruz London Ltd, insisted it was the first he’d heard about it. He said the restaurant was “owned by shareholders”.
The Government imposed a national lockdown from November 5 until December 2 in a bid to prevent social gatherings and mixing of households.
Rules state people must stay at home and avoid meeting others they do not live with.