Recipe for success at charity kitchen

Amazing Graze founder Mark Butcher, 47, was ‘completely shocked’ when 11 businesses offered their services free of charge to improve the charity’s soup kitchen on Boothley Road.

He said: “I put out an SOS appeal on Facebook to ask people if they would help me put a new kitchen together and I got an immediate response from local businesses. It was a complete shock.

“All there was in the old kitchen was a worktop and a metal sink. We serve 300 people a week and it was hard to do it in that kitchen.

“We wanted to raise the standards and show the people we help that we really do care about them.”

Dave Gunston, Dave Alderson and Chris Smith of Gunston Interiors carried out the renovation project in May, with work surfaces donated by Plasman Worktops, doors and cupboards supplied by Hills Panel Products, sinks donated by Swift Electrical and Underlights, and hinges and handles donated by LDI Furniture Components.

Tiles were supplied by Topps Tiles and installed by SDT Ceramics. Staff from HMS Electrical upgraded the electrics. Chris James, the manager of St Annes’ Howden’s branch donated an integrated dishwasher, and a range cooker was donated by YESSS Electrical in Preston.

The new kitchen received its grand opening on Friday.

Mark said: “It shows that people do care about what’s going on in their town.

“It’s had a remarkable impact on our clients, who are smiling and happy. It has raised their faith in society.”