City restaurants show they are StreetSmart

RESTAURANTS and their customers in Birmingham will be showing their philanthropic side by taking part in the annual StreetSmart fundraising programme.

The premise is simple – restaurateurs at participating venues are asked to place a voluntary addition of £1 to their bills which will then be used by the charity to help homeless causes around the city.

All of the administration costs of StreetSmart are covered by its sponsors Deutsche Bank and the campaign will run from November 1 to December 31.

Contributions from customers are voluntary but participating restaurants will be displaying promotional material to inform them of the scheme.

The campaign has many celebrity backers including Stephen Fry, authors Irvine Welsh and Ian Rankin and chef Gordon Ramsey.

He said: “StreetSmart has become part of Christmas for us. It’s everyone’s chance to do the right thing at the right time with only the gentlest nudge.”

Now in its 13th year, StreetSmart raised £455,000 during the 2009 campaign and is operational in around 600 restaurants, providing funds to 95 homeless charities across 18 cities.

Birmingham venues so far signed up to the campaign are:

Simpsons

Opus

Edmunds

Nathaniels Restaurant

Aria at the Hyatt Regency Hotel

Circle Restaurant – Birmingham Hippodrome

StageSide Bar & Restaurant – Birmingham Hippodrome

The Vaults, in Newhall Hill in the Jewellery Quarter, is also hosting a special evening on November 12 by loaning its private booths for free in exchange for donations.

Visit the campaign’s website streetsmart.org.uk for more details.

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