A staggering £5,000 has been raised by a Southampton food festival for a local food bank.
The Big Eat, held at Royal Victoria Country Park in Netley, hosted more than 50 street food vendors who fed more than 28,000 members of the public over the May bank holiday weekend.
Each of the vendors donated a percentage of their takings to charity and the public were able to donate upon entry to the festival.
The £5,000 raised has gone directly to Hound Basics Food Bank, a local organisation that provides essential food and support to individuals and families experiencing hardship. The project provides food and essential items for people across Netley Abbey, Hamble & Bursledon. Based in The Haven, Netley Abbey, the team also provides a Job Club offering free, practical help for jobseekers.
The cheque was presented by The Big Eat CIC’s managing directors Rob Bennett, John Seymour and Jeremy Gaskin to Richard Woollett – volunteer coordinator at the food bank.
Richard said: “The Food Bank is extremely busy as a result of the increase in the cost of living, so we are very grateful that The Big Eat remembered us at this time. Many people find it difficult to ask for help so it is important that we continue to be there for them when they need us.”
The Big Eat 2024 was sponsored by Snows Toyota, a family-owned motor dealership business. The team at Snows Toyota joined foodies for the weekend, offering a number of activities, including a sushi making workshop!
Olivia Snows, spokesperson for Snows Toyota, said: “We were thrilled to sponsor ‘The Big Eat’ this year and we’re proud to support such a worthy cause. By sponsoring the festival, we enabled The Big Eat to create an amazing event that raised £5,000 for Hound Basics Food Bank.
“We hope this donation will make a significant impact on those in need, and we’re honoured to be part of such a positive and meaningful event.”
Following the success of this year’s Big Eat, planning is already underway for an event in 2025, promising delicious street food and even more money raised for a local cause.
Director of The Big Eat CIC, Jeremy Gaskin said he was blown away by the support from the community.
Jeremy said: “We are immensely proud of the outcome of this year’s Big Eat. The support and enthusiasm from our community has been overwhelming. We’re already looking forward to next year, where we aim to build on this success and create a bigger and better experience for everyone involved.”
