In the lead up to Christmas, diners across Greater Manchester are being invited to add £1 onto the food bills to help raise money for an important cause.
It's all part of a annual campaign to help raise vital funds for those facing homelessness. The initiative, will see participating restaurants add the discretionary amount to customer's bills throughout November and December.
The campaign, which launched last week (November 1), is being led by StreetSmart and a number of well-known Manchester businesses have already signed up. So far, the campaign has secured the support of 15 restaurants across the region - and others can still join.
READ MORE: All the new restaurants, cafes, and bars opening in Manchester this November
It works by participating restaurants adding voluntary £1 to every bill they deliver over November and December, with all money raised by the campaign going directly to local homeless organisations.
Glenn Pougnet, Director of StreetSmart said: "Many of us want to help the vulnerable people in our community during the festive period, and StreetSmart provides an easy way to do this. The figures from last year show how even £1 added to a bill can make a huge difference.
"We’re grateful to see so many local restaurants stepping forward to help our city’s homeless. It’s amazing to witness the kindness that our community has to offer, and see the tangible impact of our efforts and funding in the community.
"This year, we’re proud to be taking another step towards the eradication of homelessness, and look forward to seeing even more restaurants getting involved over the Christmas period.”
The funds raised by StreetSmart in Greater Manchester this year will support the work of organisations such as CentrePoint, which funds Independent Living Advisors for young people, and Akt, a charity supporting LGBTQ+ young people aged 16-25 into safe homes, employment, education, or training.
So far, Greater Manchester restaurants getting involved include the Michelin-starred Mana in Ancoats, Stretford Canteen in Trafford, and 20 Stories in Spinningfields. A number of restaurants across the city centre are also taking part.
Last year, Manchester restaurants alone raised £25,000 for these life-changing services in the local community - one of the best years yet for the local campaign. And this was part of a record breaking year for StreetSmart as a whole which raised £1m nationwide.
David Fox from Tampopo, one of the restaurants taking part in StreetSmart 2024, commented: "We’re incredibly proud of our Manchester home, and the people and communities that make it, so supporting the most vulnerable people on our streets is a no-brainer.
"Nobody should have to face homelessness in 2024, yet this is a reality that we still witness on our streets here in Manchester City Centre. We’re delighted to take part in the invaluable work that StreetSmart, and the charities they support carry out and to see businesses across the city come together for such an important cause.”
StreetSmart was established in 1998 and since then they have raised over £10.3 million for the homeless. At participating restaurants during the festive months of November and December, with the benefit of a table card or a reference on the menu, a voluntary £1 is added to the diners’ bill.
At the end of each month, the restaurant passes on all of these £1s to StreetSmart. They then use them to support reputable charities for the homeless.
The £1 donation is voluntary and can easily be removed from the bill upon request. StreetSmart ha said that their experience shows that less than 1% of customers decline to participate; and in some cases they request that more than £1 be added to the bill.
The full list of restaurants signed up so far StreetSmart 2024 so far are:
Climat, Manchester City Centre
Tampopo: Albert Square, Manchester City Centre.
Tampopo: Corn Exchange, Manchester City Centre.
Banyan, Corn Exchange
Banyan, Spinningfields
Manahatta, Deansgate
BOX, Deansgate
Bottega by San Carlo at Selfridges, Exchange Square
20 Stories, Spinningfields
Street Urchin, Ancoats, Manchester City Centre
The Lead Station, Chorlton
Tariff and Dale, Northern Quarter
Stretford Canteen, Stretford
Mana, Ancoats, Manchester City Centre
Etana, Manchester
Orme, Urmston
