Local celebrities join Lord Mayor's Big Curry Lunch
On Saturday 9th April 2011, the Lord Mayor of Birmingham will be joined by local celebrities Rustie Lee and Roy Wood at the “Big Curry Lunch” in aid of ABF The Soldiers’ Charity. The lunch takes place inside the Banqueting Suite of the Council House and will be attended by members of the local business community, other Lord Mayors from across the region, MPs, along with members of the Armed Forces.
Originally founded in London in 2008, the Big Curry helps raise valuable funds to support the thousands of service and ex-service personnel at times when they need it most.
Last year, ABF The Soldiers’ Charity offered support to over 100 service and ex-service personnel and their families within the West Midlands alone and this figure is only set to increase over coming years.
UCB food service and hospitality students will be helping to serve the Lord Mayor’s lunch in the Council House and a team of chef students and lecturers will be take part in the Big Curry Cook Off in Victoria Square.
Colonel A. F. George, Chairman of the Charity’s Birmingham Committee said: "I'm delighted and privileged to able to join the Lord Mayor in helping to increase awareness in the West Midlands of the great work that ABF The Soldiers' Charity is doing to support the men and women who put everything on the line to defend us".
Taking the Big Curry to the people of Birmingham
Coinciding with the Big Curry Lunch within the Council House, the Charity is also putting on a range of activities for the public to enjoy within Victoria and Chamberlain Square. Activities include the famous Land Rover Terrapod driving experience, army exhibitions and a full military band. There will also be performances from a number of local Bhangra and Bollywood groups to follow the Big Curry theme.
Local celebrities give their time up for free
The Lord Mayor will be joined by local celebrity chef Rustie Lee and music legend Roy Wood. Both have generously given their time for free on the day.
Rustie Lee commented on the event saying: ''I'm so happy to be involved. I love making curries, I love eating curries and with the Big Curry Event raising much needed funds for ABF The Soldiers’ Charity all of us should be having a great time. So come on Birmingham, let’s get together for the Big Curry Event!”
The Big Curry “Cook-Off”
Shoppers and passersby will be greeted with the fabulous smells of freshly cooked curry supplied by teams of chefs from the Army, Itihaas restaurant and University College Birmingham (UCB). The highlight of the day will be a Big Curry “Cook-Off” between the teams who will be set a challenge to cook the best curry. A panel of judges including Rustie and Roy along with Cobra Beer, will award the winning team with a trophy. Shoppers and passersby will also be able to sample curry for a small donation to the Charity.
Raj Rana of Itihaas commented: “I am proud that Itihaas can be part of such a worthy event and bring some diversity to ABF The Soldiers’ Charity to help raise awareness and profile amongst the Asian community and to raise much needed funds to support families and soldiers who have made huge sacrifices”.
A great team effort
This year’s Lord Mayor’s Big Curry has come together through the efforts and hard work of a range of local businesses and individuals including Matrix Creative Marketing, FIS, Itihaas, Land Rover, Cobra Beer, Wenlock Springs, Squire Sanders Hammond and the Army themselves.
Talking on behalf of the Big Curry events team, Caroline Maddox, Director of Matrix Creative Marketing said: “This years’ Big Curry will be bigger and better than before. We wanted to make sure that ABF The Soldiers’ Charity have a platform to raise their profile amongst the people of the Midlands and this we feel will be a great opportunity to do just that.”
This year’s Big Curry has taken a great deal of organisation, pulling on the good will and generosity of many from the local business community. Simon Dickinson of FIS said; “Last year the Big Curry was a success but this year, we have raised the bar. We have an ambitious fund raising target to hit so it’s meant pulling out all the stops.”
With just over one month to go, preparations are well underway and with the support of the world’s finest military, we are confident that the event will be a great success and help raise the profile of ABF The Soldiers’ Charity and the support they provide.