Manchester chefs and restaurateurs put on their walking boots for Action Against Hunger

Some of Manchester’s finest chefs, restaurateurs and hospitality industry experts are set to face one of the biggest challenges of their lives – trekking through the Simien Mountains of Ethiopia in October in a bid to raise over £100,000 for Action Against Hunger.

A tough and challenging trek, the group will cover 80km of rocky trails and steep escarpments over four days at altitudes of up to 4400m. This will be the first time that most of the team have undertaken a physical challenge on this scale.

Team members will be organising a number of fundraising activities throughout the summer, both personally and through their businesses, in order to raise funds towards the team’s challenge target.

The funds raised will go towards Action Against Hunger’s work to provide malnourished children with healthier futures in countries including Ethiopia, South Sudan, Nigeria, Nepal and Somalia.  The charity has been present in Ethiopia since 1985, helping families through severe droughts including the recent drought resulting from El Nino, which is affecting an estimated 400,000 children suffering from severe acute malnutrition.

“We’ve all worked within the hospitality sector for many years,” says chef restaurateur Andrew Nutter. “Food is our livelihood, it’s at the epicentre of everything we do, so supporting Action Against Hunger through this challenge immediately grabbed our attention.

“We’re under no illusions about the difficulty of the trek and the training we’ll need to do in the run-up to it and we hope that everyone will really get behind us and follow this challenge every step of the way. Your donations are vital to the success of this trip and every penny is truly appreciated.”

The Ethiopia Trek Team members are Adam Tomlinson, Manager of Sticky Walnut, Andrew Nutter, Chef Owner of Nutters and the Bird at Birtle, Daisy Whitehouse, Managing Director of Down at the Social, Frances Atkins, Chef and Co-owner of The Yorke Arms, Jobe Ferguson, Co-owner of Black Dog Ballroom, The Liars Club Group and TNQ Restaurant and Bar, Jon Kirby, Owner of Beautiful Drinks, Liam McKay, Executive Chef at The Chef’s Table, Lisa Allen, Executive Head Chef at Northcote, Mary-Ellen McTague, Chef Owner of former Aumbry restaurant, Paddy Smith, Co-owner of Red and Blue Restaurants, Ross Mackenzie, Co-owner of Black Dog Ballroom and The Liars Club Group, Ruth Allan, Food Critic and editor of Manchester Wire, Steven Burgess, Chef Owner of catering company Rhubarb & Custard, Tomas Maunier, Sales and Marketing Director at Fazenda restaurants and Vince Margiotta, Owner of Vincenzo’s Italian restaurant, launching in Liverpool in September, and hospitality consultancy business Vmar Ltd.

The team fundraising page can be viewed here and donations can be made online.