New patron helps Contact cook up a storm

2 mins read

Monday 21 February 2022

Tags: fundraising, patron, support, support services

We’re delighted to welcome renowned chef and restaurant owner, Clare Smyth MBE, as our new charity patron.

Clare is the first and only British female chef to achieve three Michelin stars in the UK. She is the owner of Core by Clare Smyth in London and Oncore by Clare Smyth in Sydney. In 2018, she catered for the private wedding reception for the Royal Wedding between Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

Clare joins us as we start preparations for a prestigious fundraising gala dinner to be held at Mansion House in London later this year. She will be volunteering her skills as consultant chef.

Clare says: “I heard about Contact from a friend who works closely with them. I was impressed by the unique support they offer families with disabled children.

“The helpline and the family support services the charity provides are a lifeline for so many parents who care for a child with additional needs. More families than ever before have looked to Contact for advice and support during the pandemic. I’m really looking forward to helping make sure the charity continues the vital work it does.”

Contact’s CEO, Amanda Batten, says: “We are really excited to welcome Clare as our newest patron. We’re looking forward to working with her as part of the Contact family. The gala dinner we’re planning later this year is an important opportunity for us to raise much-needed funds so we can reach even more families caring for children with additional needs with our information, advice and support.

“Families we support have had an extremely difficult couple of years as they’ve cared for their child’s health and educational needs and shielded in the face of shrinking services. Raising money to make sure we can continue to be there has never been more important as the families we support start to recover from the overwhelming impact of Covid. Clare’s support as patron and with our planned fundraising dinner is invaluable!”

Read more about how we support families and find out how you can help us continue the work we do.