Supporting charities is something which has always been important to ACE and over the years we have raised thousands for many amazing causes. As we approach our Charity Dinner which takes place on the 21st February 2020, we have been learning more about this year’s beneficiary, Hospitality Action, from our Chair, Sue Thompson.
Why did you decide to support Hospitality Action?
Over the last four years we have been really delighted to support Wiggly Worm which was the choice of former chairs Paul Hurren and Gaye Bullard. During this time, we raised around £40,000 for them which is an incredible achievement and will go some way to supporting the vital work they do. For my two years as Chair, I felt it would be good to help another charity that is at the heart of hospitality and constantly gives back to those working in it.
Life is challenging for most of us at times and people can fall on hard times suddenly, whether this is down to physical or mental health or another setback such as a relationship breakdown, bereavement or family issues. Every year, Hospitality Action assists thousands of people going through challenging periods of their life. Sometimes this will be financial help, on other occasions it may be more practical, or it could simply be having someone to listen to them.
Since taking on his role of Chief Executive I have been very impressed by the work which Mark Lewis has been doing and I hope that through our events we can add to this. What better incentive is there for people to donate than knowing that they are raising money for such a worthy cause?
Tell us more about this year’s Charity Dinner
We’ll be raising money through both a raffle and an auction. People are so generous at events like this which is always inspiring to see. We are looking for the industry to get behind the event and donate some fabulous auction and raffle prizes that will help drive up the amount of money we make for Hospitality Action on the night.
Special guests will include our Chef Patrons, Adam Handling, Ruth Hansom and the current National Chef of the Year, Steve Groves. Mark Lewis will also be there to tell us more about how the money we raise will help. It’s always a fun but heart-warming industry event where workers, young and old can come together and make a difference.
One of our auction prizes will be Ruth cooking in the winner’s home, assisted by her partner Mark, who is executive chef for Premier Foods.
As with all our events, we are striving to entice some of the next generation of our industry to join us, so we’d love you to invite them along to join your table. There is a special reduced price for under 35's. Tickets can be booked via our website at http://www.acegb.org/charityDinner.php
Why should people attend the event this year?
We are going back to The Langham, which is a beautiful five-star hotel in the centre of London. It’s a Friday night which will hopefully mean that many of the guests are able to fully unwind without the worry of work the next morning. The event was held there a few years ago and the feedback was so good the committee decided to go back for more. Chris King is a fantastic executive chef and so we know the food will be enjoyed by everyone. During the cold, wet and dark winter months, it’s great to give the industry something to look forward to and this truly is a stunning venue to host such an important event for us.
Thank you to our sponsors British Premium Meats, KFF and CH&Co and to Angel Hill Foods for providing the canapés.
