At Restaurants Brighton, our job is to tell you about the amazing places you can go to enjoy amazing food and drink in – and around – the city. In the background, we try to do our bit to help our local community through awareness and fundraising initiatives that align with our values. We’re a small team but we aim to use our limited resources to the best effect. We’d like to take a moment to tell you about the organisations, and campaigns, we’ve supported this year…
Love Food Share Food
Love Food Share Food is a fundraising campaign dedicated to fighting food poverty in Sussex and Surrey. By partnering with local restaurants and pubs, they are able to invite customers to add an additional £1 donation to their bills, in support of FareShare Sussex & Surrey and Brighton Food Bank. These small contributions are starting to make a big difference in the lives of those who are struggling to put food on the table. Watch out for their QR Codes in restaurants across the city and find out more here.
Watch out for our Love Food Share Food Instagram giveaway running from 21/12/23 to 27/12/23.
Table Talk Foundation
Table Talk Foundation has a vision – to create a healthier future through food education and hospitality empowerment. Table Talk works with primary school children to promote healthy eating and combat the obesity crisis through an amazing educational program. Separately, they provide mental and physical health support and financial assistance to hospitality professionals with the aim of making the industry a better place to work – long term. This powerful two-pronged approach has won them amazing support from the local hospitality industry and the gratitude of families across the county. Read more here.
Watch out for our Table Talk Foundation Instagram giveaway running from 14/12/23 – 20/12/23 presented by Tom Surgey and read our interview with Table Talk co-founder Daniel Wade here.
Table Talk Foundation sponsors the BRAVOs Best Team category.
Living Wage Campaign
Restaurants Brighton is a Living Wage employer! Driven by our friends at Brighton Chamber, the campaign encourages businesses to commit to paying a Real Living Wage, alleviating poverty in the city and encouraging people to make their lives here in Brighton. This year the campaign celebrated 900 employers having signed up to the campaign. Now they’d like to reach their next milestone of 1000 businesses as soon as possible. Perhaps you can help? Read more here.
Brighton and Hove Food Partnership
Started by local residents in 2003, Brighton and Hove Food Partnership is a not-for-profit organisation that puts food at the heart of everything they do. They believe that growing food, cooking and eating are great ways to improve people’s lives, a right and a joy for all. BHFP is not a food bank, but they work with a network of food banks and community food shops in the city. Many people are worried about having enough money to buy food and BHFP can help access support – from financial advice to affordable meals. Find out more here.
Read their handy festive guide – including food bank openings, affordable Christmas meals, volunteering opportunities, donations and more – here.
Brighton and Hove Food Partnership sponsor the BRAVOs Eat Well For Less category.
Brighton Fringe
An open-access festival, Brighton Fringe welcomes anyone to pay the registration fee, find a venue and put on a show. Brighton Fringe aims to stimulate, educate and entertain through diverse, inclusive events. It brings wonder and richness to the community and is an important event in the calendar. Brighton Fringe receives no regular public funding, relying on grants and private donations to exist and also to fund a number of artist bursaries. You can donate to Brighton Fringe here.
Brighton Fringe sponsors the BRAVO Awards Best For The Family category.
Back Off Back Up
Back off. Back up. (BOBU) is a crucially important campaign which has been launched in Brighton by Across Rainbows. BOBU is creating a network of hospitality venues and shops which have signed up to be ‘safe spaces’ where the LGBTQ+ community can seek immediate assistance, and refuge, without fear of judgement. There’s an app marking participating venues. Find out more here.
What’s next?
In 2024 Restaurants Brighton will begin a partnership with University of Brighton on a new initiative to help the city’s restaurants be more environmentally sustainable. Watch this space!
This is just a snapshot of the brilliant organisations and campaigns we’re supporting. We’re amazed by all the work being done by our community, and by the hospitality industry in particular which, despite its own challenges, always seems to have time to help. We guess it’s in the hospitality DNA! Keep your eyes open for kind acts this festive season – they warm the heart and soul – as well as making Brighton better for everyone.
With love and gratitude from Team RB.