29 Sep ESSEX COOKS URGED TO BEAT CANCER WITH BRUNCH
PEOPLE across Essex are being urged to bite back at cancer by putting Sunday brunch on the menu this autumn.
An array of celebrity chefs, including Jamie Oliver and Tom Kerridge, have joined forces to encourage foodies and fundraisers alike to cook up some cash for Stand Up To Cancer.
The joint fundraising campaign from Cancer Research UK and Channel 4 aims to get new cancer tests and treatments to people who need them the most.
Supporters are being asked to create a restaurant-style experience at home by hosting a special brunch for their household – with family or housemates donating the bill to this life-saving research. Backed by Channel 4 show Sunday Brunch, a free fundraising kit is available online full of tips and top-notch recipes to help people turn their home into an exclusive brunch spot.
From Davina McCall’s kedgeree, to Jamie Oliver’s super spinach pancakes and Asma Khan’s courgette sabzi – there’s something to suit everyone’s taste buds. Or participants can simply choose to conjure up their own culinary creations.
Patrick Keely, Cancer Research UK spokesperson for Essex, said: “Around 35,000 people are diagnosed with cancer every year in the East of England*. It can affect anyone’s life, at any time so we only have one option: accelerate life-saving research.
“Thanks to the extra time spent at home lately, many of us now know our way around the kitchen much better than before. So why not put these new-found culinary skills to use while inspiring guests to dish up the dosh for a great cause.
“Cooking a special Sunday brunch for your household is a safe and simple way to show support during these challenging times. By taking part, you’ll be rewarded with more than just empty plates. The donations your family or housemates make in support of your efforts really could save lives.”
For added inspiration, during October four special episodes of Sunday Brunch will be shown on Channel 4 showcasing some of the delicious Stand Up To Cancer recipes. Co-hosts Tim Lovejoy and Simon Rimmer know first-hand the devastation a cancer diagnosis can bring and how important new discoveries are to help more people survive.
Chef Simon, who has donated his recipe for blueberry and cottage cheese pancakes, said: “I remember vividly the moment that I was told my dad had cancer. I was only nine years old and it hit me like a ton of bricks. He’s the strongest man I know and thankfully he’s still here with us today. Stand Up To Cancer is such an important cause, funding research to help people just like my lovely dad.
“So I’m thrilled that Sunday Brunch is teaming up with Stand Up To Cancer this year. We’re asking everyone in Essex to hold their own special brunch with their household or bubble – the more the merrier if they’re dialling in over video! I’ll definitely be facetiming my good old dad over a cuppa.”
Co-presenter Tim Lovejoy added: “I didn’t think cancer was something that would affect my life or my family; I just didn’t really think about it much at all. Then my brother was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer at the age of 37. It was such a shock. And when James died, I almost couldn’t believe it.
“But one in two people in the UK are diagnosed with cancer**. So really, it affects all of us. That’s why I’m asking people across Essex to join me and Stand Up To Cancer this October.”
Get a free fundraising and recipe kit at su2c.org.uk/brunch. A Sunday Brunch mug is also available from Stand Up To Cancer’s online shop.
