Gusto Italian, a collection of 14 premium Italian restaurants with a presence on the High Street in Oxford city centre, has surpassed its fundraising target for charity.
In July 2022, Gusto selected “Young Lives vs Cancer” as its first Charity of the Year with the aim of raising £100,000 in 12 months.
Now, thanks to the generosity of its customers and the endeavours of its team, Gusto has surpassed its target months ahead of schedule. The money raised will help “Young Lives vs Cancer” carry out their invaluable work supporting young people (aged 0 to 25) with cancer and their families.
The partnership was formed via the Tim Bacon Foundation, whose founder, Jeremy Roberts, owns the Living Ventures Group. The foundation encourages restaurant businesses to partner with charities, and in summer 2022, the search for Gusto’s Charity of the Year began.
Employee Jade nominated “Young Lives vs Cancer” as Gusto’s charity of the year. Jade had been diagnosed with terminal cancer and was being treated at the Christie Hospital in Manchester.
Although Jade was in her 30s and not being supported by the charity herself, she got to know others on the ward who were and could see many ways in which this incredible charity was helping young people and their families.
Jade sadly died in June 2022, but her legacy lives on as Gusto fulfilled her promise and launched the charity partnership in July 2022. Since then, they have been busy fundraising in a variety of ways.
In September, Living Ventures Group organised the ‘Dream Impossible’ event, a ticketed three-course dinner held at Gusto and 10 of Manchester’s top restaurants, finishing with a party at the Albert Hall in Manchester at the end of the night. Each business nominated a charity, and Gusto raised £55,000 for “Young Lives vs Cancer”.
At various times throughout the year, Gusto has given its guests the opportunity to add a voluntary £1 donation to their bill, resulting in £60,000 raised for “Young Lives vs Cancer”.
Money from the partnership will help “Young Lives vs Cancer” be there for young people facing cancer and their families. The charity’s specialist social workers are there from the moment of diagnosis to help guide families through everything cancer throws at them, and their eleven Home from Homes offer families a free place to stay near the hospital.
Luke Mallett, Director of Income and Engagement at “Young Lives vs Cancer”, said: “Thank you to all the staff and customers at Gusto Italian for raising an incredible amount to help support young people with cancer.
“Thanks to you, we can be there for more children and young people and their families, helping to face whatever cancer throws at them.”
Gusto Italian opened its Oxford restaurant in December 2022 on the site of the old Mitre Pub on the High Street after an extensive refurbishment.
