A leading North East hospitality group is joining forces with foodbanks to help give homeless people a hot meal.
Tavistock Hospitality, which owns a four-star hotel, restaurants and bars across the region, is to launch the scheme through its Sonnet 43 pubs, starting off in Hartlepool this week (18 January).
The team from Sonnet 43 will be at St Aidan’s Church, Stockton Road, to serve a range of dishes inspired by the pub chain’s menus, to the people who regularly visit for the weekly meal.
Jonathan Graham, director at Tavistock Hospitality, said the plan was to run similar sessions at foodbanks around the region on a regular basis over the coming months. He said, “I wanted to start in Hartlepool because that’s my home town.
“Sonnet 43 supported foodbanks before Christmas by giving them tinned goods and other items but we wanted to do something more and we thought the best way to do this was to give people the opportunity for a really tasty, hot meal.
“The plight of the homeless and those using foodbanks is always at the forefront at Christmas. However, after Christmas and at the coldest time of the year they need the help more than ever.
“We’ve gone through our menu and chosen hearty dishes which we know will be filling and delicious. It’s just a great way for us to give something back.”
The award-winning Sonnet 43 brew houses operate across the region and include The Lambton Worm at Chester-le-Street, The New Plough at Mountsett and The Toronto Lodge, Bishop Auckland.
The company also runs the Roker Hotel in Sunderland, the Italian Farmhouse restaurants and multi-award winning spirit brand, Poetic License.
