The Botanist in Newcastle has raised more than £3,100 for vulnerable children and provided healthy cooking courses for children and their families in the region.
Staff members at The Botanist Newcastle have carried out a number of fundraising events and challenges to raise £3,189 for children’s charity Barnardo’s, as well as donating funds from the sale of specially blended ‘The Believer’ cocktail and contributions from customers.
Further fundraising through The Botanist sites across the country has seen the company raise a staggering £43,500 in total for with a large number of staff becoming involved in volunteering and mentoring roles to continue supporting the charity.
The team at The Botanist also developed events for young carers who are supported by Barnardo’s in the area, providing some much needed respite for these children with hours of fun, games and food.
An incredible project developed by chefs at The Botanist saw ten young carers and their families invited to learn about eating and cooking healthily as a family over a six-week course. The healthy eating programme was developed in partnership with Newcastle Young Carers Service, with a community food grant from Food Nation, which is managed by Newcastle Public Health.
One family from Newcastle who took part were Stuart and Sarah Peacock, and their three girls, Aimee (13), Katie (10) and Abbie (4). Stuart said: “It gave us some much needed time as a family away from the stresses of life and a whole new spin on food, showing us the fun as a family we can have while preparing food, especially on healthy eating.
“The team at both Barnardo’s and The Botanist were brilliant with every aspect of the course.”
Barnardo’s, who use 91p of every pound donated towards their cause, will be using the fundraised amount to make a difference to some of the UK’s most disadvantaged and vulnerable children. Services in the Newcastle area include Newcastle Young Carers, bereavement and anti-bullying work at Orchard Mosaic in Jesmond, advocacy and support for disabled children and parents in Gateshead and work helping to fight homelessness for care leavers by providing supported lodgings.