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Hundreds of workers at a fire-ravaged Knightsbridge hotel have spent the summer volunteering with London charities.

Facing the dilemma of what to do with 600 staff during a months-long shutdown after the fire in June, the Mandarin Oriental came up with the charitable initiative that bosses say was a way to “give back” to the community.

Some have taken extended leave or roles at the group’s overseas hotels, but around 400 are working for London charities while their employers pay them, as repairs are carried out.

The beneficiaries of the hotel’s FAN-tastic London scheme include Walking With The Wounded, Age UK, and Thrive Battersea Garden Project.

Many have also volunteered in Oxfam shops, while others have helped in hospitals, and supported the work of the London Fire Brigade .

Two chefs at the hotel’s Bar Boulud — David Lepage and John Barber — volunteered for food waste charity The Felix Project , which delivers unwanted food to thousands of people. Hotel general manager Amanda Hyndman said about 40,000 hours will be donated to causes during the initiative by the time the hotel reopens towards the end of the year.

She said the project was born after staff were humbled by the “generous help” offered to them, adding: “We were really overwhelmed by the kindness so many showed us. It was absolutely incredible. We thought this was a real opportunity to give something back.”

Hannah Beaven, Oxfam UK regional manager, said: “Around 45 shops have benefited from the hours given, an offer that has made a real difference to our ability to trade effectively during the summer months, when our regular volunteer teams often take holiday. The staff have been amazing — enthusiastic, proactive and hard-working — and will be sorely missed when they finish.”

Kim Chaplain, of the Mayor’s Fund for London which has been working with the Mandarin Oriental through their own project Kitchen Social, said: “Their support has not only enabled Felix to make deliveries, but hotel staff have also been volunteering their culinary expertise and services.” The fire happened a week after completion of a £185 million refurbishment at the 115-year-old hotel, and was caused by the by-product of arc welding landing on felt lining. It took 120 firefighters six hours to extinguish it.