This year, during November and December diners visiting restaurants in Manchester will be asked to donate just £1 to their bill to go towards helping the homeless in the UK. Following the impressive £455,000 raised in the 2009 campaign, the national StreetSmart campaign which is now in its 12th year expects around 600 restaurants nationwide to take part.
StreetSmart operates as an umbrella charity providing funding to 95 homelessness charities across 18 cities including Manchester. Unlike other charities in the same bracket, diners can be assured that the money they donate will have a direct benefit to charities in their home city, helping to shelter and feed the homeless during the cold winter months.
Charities receive between £500 and £15,000, depending on the project to be funded. Once the winter emergency needs have been met, StreetSmart use any remaining funds to help projects that support people back to employment and all money raised goes directly towards helping the homeless, as all administration costs are covered by the charityâs sponsor, Deutsche Bank.
Last year, homeless people in Manchester were given allotments on the outskirts of the city and many are now making a living from selling the produce and enjoying the foodie benefits themselves while high profile chefs backing the campaign include Gordon Ramsay, Fergus Henderson, John Torode and Giorgio Locatelli.
The StreetSmart ambassador for Manchester is Food and Drink Festival favourite, Noddy Holder and local restaurants taking part in the scheme include Grill on the Alley, Lime Tree, The Modern, Second Floor at Harvey Nichols, Green House and Choice, which is even going so far as to close the restaurant on December 1 to cook a 3 course Christmas lunch for 50 people who have really tried to help themselves break the cycle of poverty.
A full list of the participating restaurants, homeless projects funded and partners supporting StreetSmart can be found at www.streetsmart.org.uk
