Restaurants, bars and cafés across the region are joining forces with their customers to make their meals matter for St Giles Hospice with #DonateYourPlate. The venues are encouraging diners and drinkers to support the hospice fundraising campaign by making a donation when they buy meals and drinks – and are urging other businesses across the region to put supporting St Giles on the menu at their establishments as well. Guests are asked to make a suggested donation of £5 – which could pay for patients’ meals at St Giles Hospice – or give whatever they can afford to support local people and their families living with a terminal illness. Carol Blighton, Owner of The Tasty Café, in Lichfield, said staff and customers were all keen to help St Giles and the café was already a member of the hospice lottery’s Promise Card customer savings scheme. “Many customers have family or friends who have been helped by St Giles so they are eager to support #DonateYourPlate,” she said. “Some want to make the £5 donation and many others chip in by adding coins to our collection bucket. “We all know how tough it has been for charities during the COVID-19 crisis so this is a great way to help out at a critical time. We’re also donating our staff tips to St Giles at the moment because every little helps.” Jordan Childs, Assistant Manager at Lichfield’s Brewhouse and Kitchen, added: “We’ve supported St Giles since we opened because they’re a great local cause and we’re delighted to be able to help. “#DonateYourPlate is making a real difference for the hospice and our customers are always happy to help out when they can. We’d absolutely encourage any other local businesses to raise awareness of the campaign and the great work that St Giles does.” People can also dine in at home, donate £5 and nominate five friends or family members to do the same, while spreading the word by posting a snap of their mouthwatering meal on social media and tagging @StGilesHospice, along with the hashtag #DonateYourPlate. Elinor Eustace, Director of Fundraising at St Giles Hospice, said: “#DonateYourPlate is a great way to support your local hospice while you’re out enjoying your fabulous food, or rustling up a marvellous meal of your own. “The campaign is making a real difference to local patients and their families at a time when we’ve had to cancel our regular fundraising events, while there is a continuing and ever-growing demand for our service. We’ve never needed you more than we need you today.” Donate Your Plate has been launched as part of ‘Katie’s Appeal’, the charity’s urgent response to the Coronavirus crisis. As only around a third of its funding comes from Government, the hospice relies upon donations and fundraising to raise the £850,000 it needs each month to fund its care services. A donation of £5 could pay for meals for a patient at the end of their life, £10 could pay for one hour of housekeeping to keep the hospice infection free, and £28 could pay for one hour of one-to-one nursing care for a patient. For more information about #DonateYourPlate or to make a donation, visit www.stgileshospice.com/donateyourplate/ People can also support St Giles Hospice by donating to Katie’s Appeal, by making a one-off or regular monthly donation online at www.stgileshospice.com/katiesappeal or by calling 01543 432538, or by sending a cheque made payable to ‘St Giles Hospice’ to Katie’s Appeal, St Giles Hospice, Fisherwick Road, Whittington, Lichfield WS14 9LH.