We did it! Our Suffolk Cooks For Ukraine dinner and auction raised an extraordinary £20,000 for the DEC’s Ukraine Appeal and donations are still coming in. An outstanding result, if I say so myself, for two weeks (frenetic) planning and one night in a room full of amazingly generous and compassionate people.
Maria Elia, picture by Richard Allenby-Pratt
Image of Nicola Hordern, picture by Richard Allenby-Pratt
It was a colossal team effort, with chefs Nicola Hordern and Maria Elia at the helm, backed by myself and fellow journalist Tessa Allingham and a volunteer kitchen brigade made up of professional chefs Nick Claxton-Webb. Alan Paton, Harvey Thompson, Mike Keen, Grant Newland and Sam Sturman.
Suffolk New College gave us the venue, Chef’s Whites Restaurant, the inexhaustible skills and enthusiasm of staff members Mike Mulvihill, Dan Russell-Poole, Aimee Jay and Zoe McKechnie and the invaluable front and back of house help of its talented students. We couldn’t have done it without them.
Students af Chef’s Whites, Suffolk New College. Picture by Richard Allenby-Pratt
Ingredients and drinks were donated by a host of exceptional Suffolk producers and suppliers for a four course feast of Ukrainian-inspired food based on recipes from Ukrainian food writer Olia Hercules, who with her Russian friend Alissa Timoshkina, began the #CookForUkraine fundraising campaign.
The evening ended in an auction led by Ed Crichton of Lacy Scott auctioneers, which raised thousands of pounds above the original ticket price, thanks to the generosity of donors and bidders. Every penny will go to the DEC.
Picture: Richard Allenby-Pratt
Zeleniy borsch, picture by Richard Allenby-Pratt
Auctioneer Ed Crichton, picture by Richard Allenby-Pratt
It is honestly humbling to see how powerfully people are responding to Ukraine’s plight. There were a few tears in the run-up to the big night, not all of them due to exhaustion. I think I can speak for all of us when I say how moved we have been by the way everyone stepped up, turned out and dug deep.
But pictures, like actions, famously speak louder than words and these photographs from Richard Allenby-Pratt, who also volunteered his skills, brilliantly echo the mood of the event. Thank you to everyone who took part in whatever capacity.
The money we’ve raised together will help alleviate the suffering of some of the three million people who’ve fled Ukraine and, we hope, some of the many millions more still in the country.
Picture: Richard Allenby-Pratt
Chefs at work! Picture by Richard Allenby-Pratt
Students chefs, picture by Richard Allenby-Pratt
Mike Mulvihill with chefs, picture by Richard Allenby-Pratt
Mike’s blinis, picture by Richard Allenby-Pratt
Tessa Allingham and chefs, picture by Richard Allenby-Pratt
Nicola with Dan Russell-Poole, picture by Richard Allenby-Pratt
Plating up, picture by Richard Allenby-Pratt
Service, please! Picture by Richard Allenby-Pratt
Ed Crichton in action, picture by Richard Allenby-Pratt
Winner! Picture by Richard Allenby-Pratt
Winner! Picture by Richard Allenby-Pratt
Winner! Picture by Richard Allenby-Pratt
With Ipswich Mayor Cllr Elizabeth Hughes, picture by Richard Allenby-Pratt
Gina Long taking a brief rest between auction bids, picture by Richard Allenby-Pratt
Winner! Picture by Richard Allenby-Pratt
The awesomeness of Sam Sturman’s hand-made chocolates, picture by Richard Allenby-Pratt
Truly, this was a wonderful effort, and paid rich dividends. This fundraising effort is one that really will make a difference. I hope you made new friends and connections through all your hard work. Well done! xx
Thanks, Margaret. Massive team effort. Happily the mayor wasn’t offended when I assumed her bling was fake. 😀
Haha! Well done!
Amazing! Great job, that will mean so much!
Thanks, Doroth\y, hopefully it will make life a little easier for some of the victims of this horrible war.
Amazing and so wonderful.
Thanks very much, Mimi. xxx
Bravaaaa! Bravaaaa! All good people feel impotent in the face of such horror and you all brought your greatest strengths to phenomenal effect. Blessings on you all, and may God deliver Ukraine.
Olia Hercules has spoken of making food a force for fundraising and I hope we’ve contributed to that. When you think of what’s needed even £20k is a drop in the bucket but every penny helps. Thanks for the kind words, Chip, as ever. Lx
What a fantastic effort by everyone. Wish we could have been there.
I wish you could have been! It was a good night and a good outcome. Lx
that’s brilliant. wonderful work!
Thanks so much, Sherry.
Wow- well done Suffolk and you xx
An amazing response. Thanks, Sarah. x