PRESS RELEASE
ISSUED BY EAT ON THE GREEN
12 May 2008
we did it!
Craig Wilson, chef and proprietor of Eat on the Green Restaurant smashed his £10k target for Breast Cancer Care at his 'Food & Fun day' in Udny Green on Sunday 11th May. The event was a great success all round and the money raised on the day took everyone by surprise- a whopping £10k (and counting), taking the grand total of funds raised this year to £17k.
The event was a phenomenal success attracting over 2000 people. Craig said: "This day has exceeded everyone's expectations. I'm overwhelmed and incredibly proud of the committee, the volunteers, the sponsors and all those who donated so generously. It's amazing what can be achieved when a community pulls together and everyone had a great time in the process."
The First Minister, the Rt. Hon. Alex Salmond MSP made an appearance yesterday touring the stalls, the cookery demonstrations and chatting to visitors. Mr Salmond also met the pupils of Udny Green Primary School and awarded prizes for the ‘healthiest lunchbox competition’ to junior and senior school pupils Christopher Smith (aged 8) and Paul Hutton (aged 12) for their inspired entries.
The glamorous Sarah Mack and her dapper co-compere Mark Stephen entertained the crowds between acts on the central stage and in the headline attraction, Ready Steady Cook. This event alone raised in excess of £1500 in ticket sales and impromptu whip rounds whilst Craig and his competitor George McIvor kept the audience well entertained with their banter.
Other special guests on the day included rising stars from the North-East, Jenna Cameron and Jordan McCaskill who entertained the crowd with upbeat songs whilst Celtallica (a kilted ceilidh rock band) and the Inverurie Pipe Band stirred national pride with their Scottish beats.
The 'sticky toffee pudding competition' was also well-received and judged by Sarah Mack, George McIvor, Mr Ross of JG Ross the bakers and Peter Mitchell. It was a tough decision, however 1st prize was awarded to Laura Halliday of Udny Green for her perfect pud. She confessed to using her Grandma's recipe and said her secret was slow-cooking to lock the moisture in.
The primary school was put to good use to accommodate afternoon teas and a 'health and wellbeing market' where people could enjoy massage, beauty treatments, health checks and fitness demonstrations. The school grounds were bustling with children being entertained with football skills, bouncy castles, segway, archery, face painting, 'Jumpin Jax' and 'Bobby the Playbus'.
The Food & Fun day really had something for everyone, with a farmer's market, arts and crafts, competitions, marquee bar, VIP lounge, gourmet BBQ and more. Craig said: "It was an amazing spectacle to see this tranquil little village transformed into a festival for a few hours and the atmosphere was just incredible." For those who missed out, a DVD is being produced for sale (proceeds to Breast Cancer Care) which covers highlights from the Food & Fun day and includes Craig cooking some of his favourite recipes behind the scenes at Eat on the Green.
Craig has another fundraising event already lined up for 20th and 21st September when he'll be opening the restaurant for a 24 hour cookathon. Guests are invited to book tables in advance for a Ladies Lunch, normal Saturday night dinner service, quirky late night and early morning dining and brunch the next day. Diners can expect auctions, special guests and live entertainment which will help Craig reach his new target of £20k for Breast Cancer Care.
For Craig, the good news just keeps rolling in- on Monday 12th he received a special commendation for the 'Rural Chef of the Year' award (Scottish Chef Awards) for the second year running and on the same day his newest recruit, Orry Shand (18) secured a place in the final of the '2008 Young Chef of the Year Award' (Grampian Food Awards).
For further information on Craig's fundraising activities, visit www.eatonthegreen.co.uk/charity or email / call enquiries@eatonthegreen.co.uk / 01651 842 337.
