StreetSmart homeless charity enlists 474 restaurants for 2021 fundraiser

Tanwen Dawn-Hiscox

Deputy Editor

Streetsmart has enlisted more than 400 restaurants for its annual fundraiser to tackle homelessness across the UK, and is seeking more partner restaurants to take part.

Established in 1998, the charity has raised more than £10.3 million for homeless and vulnerable people across the UK. In 2019 alone, it fundraised £760,000.

In participating restaurants during the festive months of November and December, a voluntary £1 is added to diners’ bill, which are then passed on to StreetSmart and used by the charity to support reputable organisations helping the UK's most vulnerable.

What's more, the charity's running and operational costs are paid for by their sponsors - meaning all donations go directly towards helping people.

From Arros QD, Chiltern Firehouse, Launceston House, Le Comptoir Robuchon and Quo Vadis in London to Simpsons in Birmingham, The Art School in Liverpool and The Whitebrook in Monmouth, so far 474 restaurants have signed up to the scheme.

CEO of JKS Restaurants Jyotin Sethi said: "Our decision to support StreetSmart over the years, who help some of the most vulnerable people in the UK, has been one of the easiest we’ve ever made.”

“Its been an honour to work with StreetSmart over the years encouraging those who are fortunate to dine out to give back and help those most vulnerable, especially at this time of year” @tomaikens Chef Owner @MusebyTomAikens 🙏 pic.twitter.com/cs3rIy5D0f
— StreetSmart (@StreetSmartUK) November 2, 2021

Meanwhile, Clare Smyth said: "StreetSmart is a fantastic charity helping so many vulnerable people, who need our support now more than ever. It is good to know that we can help those in need by simply donating £1 each time we dine out.

If you'd like to sign up, know that it won't cost you anything to do so: electronic tills record donations, so administration is minimal. All you need to do is collect the total amount at the end of each month or at the end of December and pass it on. The £1 donation is added to the bill after the service charge and VAT, and so does not affect VAT returns.

In these challenging times…

The Staff Canteen team are taking a different approach to keeping our website independent and delivering content free from commercial influence. Our Editorial team have a critical role to play in informing and supporting our audience in a balanced way. We would never put up a paywall – The Staff Canteen is open to all and we want to keep bringing you the content you want; more from younger chefs, more on mental health, more tips and industry knowledge, more recipes and more videos. We need your support right now, more than ever, to keep The Staff Canteen active. Without your financial contributions this would not be possible.

Over the last 16 years, The Staff Canteen has built what has become the go-to platform for chefs and hospitality professionals. As members and visitors, your daily support has made The Staff Canteen what it is today. Our features and videos from the world’s biggest name chefs are something we are proud of. We have over 560,000 followers across Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube and other social channels, each connecting with chefs across the world. Our editorial and social media team are creating and delivering engaging content every day, to support you and the whole sector - we want to do more for you.

A single coffee is more than £2, a beer is £4.50 and a large glass of wine can be £6 or more.

Support The Staff Canteen from as little as £1 today. Thank you.