Warrington’s Spirit Restaurant has announced a partnership with Blue Apple Veterans that will see produce from the charity’s allotment used in the restaurant – and the restaurant’s acclaimed food served in the charity’s newly launched town centre café.
The award-winning restaurant, based in Park Manor, Victoria Park, backs on to the charity’s one-acre allotment and garden site, where military veterans grow fruit and vegetables.
And that means it’s ideally placed to provide a constant flow of tasty, locally grown produce to head chef Rick Barlow and his team.
Spirit owner Prague Bhatnagar said: “We know the team at Blue Apple Veterans work so hard to produce really high quality fruit and vegetables so we thought there was potential to work together to make sure some of that produce made its way onto our menu.
“Our head chef Rick and his team are committed to using the highest quality ingredients in their dishes and we’re confident that we can get exactly that from the Blue Apple allotments.
“And it’s fantastic for us to have the chance to support a brilliant cause that’s right on our doorstep and that supports so many families right across the north west.”
Blue Apple Veterans was launched five years ago to support former servicemen and servicewomen – and their families – across the north west combat problems such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
Offering physical and emotional support through a team of volunteers and using its allotment and garden site in Victoria Park, the charity now works with up to 100 former army, Royal Navy and RAF personnel each week.
“We’re really excited about the chance to see our produce go towards creating some of the high quality dishes at Spirit Restaurant,” said the charity’s Volunteer Project Manager Steve James.
“Its reputation in Warrington and across Cheshire is fantastic and this partnership will really spur our growers on to produce the kind of fruit, vegetables and herbs that Rick and his team need.”
The Blue Apple Veterans café, in Buttermarket Street, Warrington, opened in February but a shortage of volunteers and facilities means they haven’t been able to serve hot food.
This partnership will see fresh food from Spirit Restaurant delivered to the café to make sure visitors can buy high quality products and support the charity.
“The support that we are going to receive for the café is going to prove invaluable in getting this valuable resource up and running,” added Steve. “We’re really looking forward to working together.”
