The great pie and peas up

I've blogged about Henderson's Relish, Sheffield delicacy and food of the gods (and Peter Stringfellow!) before. But now thanks to Yorkshire's favourite sauce (which incidentally I spotted as far north as Pickering this week) we now know about a brilliant fundraising drive to support a local hospice.

Hendos supports the Great Pie and Peas Up

Neil brought home a bottle of limited edition Hendos yesterday sporting the logo of an event called 'The Great Pie and Peas Up' in support of St Luke's Hospice, in Sheffield. Henderson's is just one of a number of local companies supporting it, with 5p from every bottle sold going to the hospice - and of course nothing compliments a nice pie quite like a generous slug of Hendos.

So what is The Great Pie and Peas Up? 

Basically St Luke's, which cares for adults with incurable illnesses, has launched the initiative as a way of raising much-needed funds for the hospice. And in a city where the pie, in all it's forms, is second only to the Yorkshire pudding in the affections of the people, it's a cracking idea.

The hospice is inviting businesses, schools, communities and individuals to host a pie and peas event in March - serving up supper to guests in return for a donation that will then be given to St Luke's. The cash will go towards a new £5 million in-patient unit at the hospice.

It seems anyone can take part, all you have to do is register online and St Luke's will send you a fundraising pack with invitations, balloons, recipes and various other things to ensure the event goes with a bang. More than 100 clubs, sports teams, hotels, pubs and businesses have already signed up to host an event, with the hospice suggesting a £10 donation from each diner.

Various local companies and personalities are supporting the drive, including the bods at Henderson's, Thornbridge Brewery and artist Jim Connolly, and a number of Sheffield restaurants are hosting special Pie and Peas evenings. 

So what's all this got to do with avoiding supermarkets? Well I think this is a really great example of how small local organisations and communities can come together to make waves, and in this case it's thanks to a label on a bottle of Henderson's Relish that we now know about the St Luke's appeal. Shopping local does more than just keeping your money local - it also helps you tune in to the local grapevine in your area. It's a tenuous link to be sure, but do I really need a bigger excuse to promote such a good cause?