Big Brekkie charity campaign launched in Dorchester

Dorset Echo
10 February 2015

Big Brekkie charity campaign launched in Dorchester

A TRIO of top chefs have got a Dorset charity’s latest campaign off to a cracking start.

Autism Wessex launched its Big Brekkie campaign in Dorchester with the help of some familiar faces from the county’s culinary scene.

Former MasterChef winner, Mat Follas, was joined at the Casterbridge Hotel where he has his restaurant by Lesley Waters, who regularly appears on television and runs a cookery school in Dorset, and Alex Aitken, chef patron at The Jetty in Christchurch.

The Big Brekkie campaign, sponsored by Williams Thompson Solicitors, is one of Autism Wessex’s major fundraising initiatives and encourages local people and groups to get together for breakfast in the run up to World Autism Awareness Day on April 2.

Gemma Saunders from Autism Wessex said: “We are inviting individuals, companies and community groups to host a Big Brekkie event and ask people to make a donation to Autism Wessex. As well as fundraising the aim is to give people with autism a voice which you so often don’t hear in society.”

Autism Wessex provides specialist services to support people with autism and associated difficulties across Dorset, Bournemouth and Poole. Gemma said last year the first ever Big

Brekkie campaign raised around £5,000 and the charity was hoping to double that this year. She said the support from the celebrity chefs and the sponsors was a major boost towards achieving that target.

Lesley said she was delighted to support the campaign. She said: “I think it’s a fantastic idea for a wonderful charity. Food is something that brings everyone together and I can’t think of a better way to raise awareness but also get families and everyone together. It’s something everyone can get involved in whether it’s young kids and families, businesses or schools – it’s a great one lots of people can get involved with to raise money.”

Mat said that getting behind the campaign would help support a great charity and also get people sitting down and having breakfast together when it was a meal that was all too often rushed or neglected. He said: “It’s a really good way to raise awareness. It’s an easy meal to skip but it’s the fuel that gets you through the day.”

Alex, who is hosting a breakfast at The Jetty this Valentine’s Day, added: “I’m very happy to support the campaign. “It’s a pleasure to support a local charity.”

For details of how to get involved with the campaign and host a Big Brekkie event visit autismwessex.org.uk/bigbrekkie