A PUB meal which subsidised a Tavistock charity meal and supports overseas emergency aid has raised £2,330.

The Market Inn in Tavistock hosted the meal from which £835.50 of this total was donated to the ShelterBox disaster fund. A prize draw also raised funds.

The pub's management thanked all the local businesses whom contributed time and products from the area for the meals. The success has has encouraged the organisers a community brand called 'Scrumptious' which builds links between the small businesses of Tavistock area to benefit charities, in the case Tavistock Area Support Services (TASS).

The Market Inn meal showcased food produced in the Westcountry. A similar event was staged earlier this year and some proceeds from that full-price event (at £37.50) paid for a free community meal on a different night, also provided by the pub kitchen, which supports older people’s needs.

Holly Stirling, TASS manager, said: ‘The meal was a fabulous opportunity for people to meet others and make friends and enjoy a lovely meal and entertainment – the people who attended felt very cared for and pampered

‘Forty people attended, including wheelchair users, and people who had not been out for many years.’

TASS receives all donations made via my JustGiving page. The charity would very much like to promote this new way to donate money to TASS. It’s possible to select Gift Aid also via this method which also helps TASS.

‘Our running total raised for TASS this year (in addition to providing 80 free community lunches) is £1,494.85. We hope to raise a total of £2,500 this year for TASS and other charities. Another event is provisionally suggested for November.

Volunteers hope to provide 120 free community lunches this year for those who need more community contact and to raise £2,500 which will also go towards making improvements at the Rest A While centre. To donate search online for 'Linda Critchley' which will bring up a fundraiser with the name of 'Scrumptious' for Tavistock Area Support Services on the JustGiving website https://www.justgiving.com/

Scrumptious organiser Linda Critchley explained: 'Scrumptious is a pop up banner created to help raise funds for a local charity. Under this banner Volunteers and five local small family food/beverage businesses along side Mount Kelly Prep are working hard to raise funds for TASS (Tavistock Area Support Services). Our objective is to provide 120 free community lunches this year for those who need more community contact and to raise £2,500.'

'A potted floral plant from Endsleigh Nursery (Milton Abbot) is gifted to all attending the meal and pictures or hand written letters created by Mount Kelly Prep children are handed out. We include afternoon activities such as the very popular Ice-cream tasting with Dartmoor Ice-cream and a lovely sing song with Mary Mazure Park and Ceris or afternoon games.'