Industry charity Hospitality Action marked the launch of its East Anglia Board with a celebratory evening in the stunning Lady Elizabeth Wing at Holkham Hall in North Norfolk earlier this week. The event, which raised an astonishing £14,000, was held in memory of front-of-house manager Nyall Brown from Cromer, Norfolk, who took his own life last spring aged 19.
The first class chef line up included:
• Eric Snaith, Titchwell Manor
• Mark Poynton, MJP Restaurants
• Scott Dougal, Wells Crab House
• Chris Busby, Brasted’s
• Daniel Lawrence, Socius
• Roger Hickman, Roger Hickman’s Restaurant
• Daniel Freear, Strattons Hotel
• Michael Chamberlain, The Victoria, Holkham
• Steve Thorpe, Simon Hunter-Marsh, Mark Fitch and a very special thanks to Mark Bradley from Norwich City College.
Each chef joined together to prepare a delicious meal including a fish course of crab avocado & lobster verrine, with cured salmon Norfolk beets, horseradish and dill and dessert of white chocolate crémeux with candied tarragon, champagne strawberries and almond cream.
Mark Lewis, Hospitality Action, Chief Executive said: “It took the tragic loss of Nyall Brown to trigger our increased fundraising presence in the region and in the last year alone we have spent just over £25,000 supporting those in need across East Anglia.
“With our fully formed new fundraising board and ambassadors all working together we will be able to help even more people in need. Our evening at Holkham Hall really did showcase the best the region has to offer in terms of produce, team spirit and generosity. My sincerest thanks to all those involved including our chefs, sponsors and the incredible teams from Brasted’s and Wells Crab House who managed the front of house.”
Charlie Hodson, owner of Charlie’s Norfolk Food Heroes, host of the Big Norfolk Sausage Bash and East Anglia Board Member said: “Thanks to events like these we will be able to raise the profile of Hospitality Action in the East of England and support even more local people.
“The evening was extremely emotional as we celebrated Nyall’s life and heard from his mum Tracy. If we can stop just one other family going through all that Tracy and her husband Mearle have been through we will have done our job.”
H&C News would like to congratulate all involved in this event, raising awareness of an issue that needs highlighting to help reduce its occurrence. We would also like to offer our condolences and sympathy to Nyall Brown’s family and friends on their loss.