Diners with an appetite for helping their local community can really make their meals matter by taking part in the new #DonateYourPlate campaign in support of St Giles Hospice.

People are being asked to dine in, donate £5 that could help to pay for patient’s meals at St Giles Hospice - and nominate five friends or family members to do the same.

They should then post a snap of their mouthwatering meal on social media and tag @StGilesHospice, along with the hashtag #DonateYourPlate, to share their culinary creativity and to spread the word further about the campaign.

Elinor Eustace, Director of Fundraising at St Giles Hospice, said: “Supporting St Giles couldn’t be simpler with this fun, brand new social media campaign and whether you’ve baked a cake or cooked a steak, we’d love you to Donate Your Plate, send us a snap and make your meals matter for St Giles Hospice.

“With lockdown restrictions now beginning to ease, you could even dine out and donate – celebrating our freedom to go out for a meal again by dedicating your first restaurant plate to us. Or you could forgo your weekly takeaway or a tasty treat and donate the proceeds from that to St Giles instead.

“#DonateYourPlate is a great way to make a real difference to local patients and their families at a time when we’ve had to cancel our regular fundraising events while the demand for our services is increasing. 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.

St Giles Hospice cook Diane McNeilly said: “By taking part in Donate Your Plate, you could be helping to pay for nutritious patient meals here at St Giles. We take great pride in every plate we send out, as everyone deserves a home-cooked dish made with care – especially those at the end of their life who often struggle with their appetite through illness or treatment.”

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.