ASK Italian Grand Tour comes to Exeter

The ASK Italian Grand Tour came to Exeter last night. The programme, pioneered by the national Italian restaurant chain last October, consists of a series of fundraising events in order to raise £250,000 for Great Ormond Street Hospital.

This year's Grand Tour began on Sunday 8 September and will end this Friday. Last night members of the public attended a Food Night as a part of the tour hosted by acclaimed chef Theo Randall. Randall was signing copies of the ASK Italian Cookbook, which was published in support of Great Ormond Street, and cooked for the restaurant's guests.

Other special guests included the Morgan family who have experienced first hand the incredible work that GOSH do on a daily basis. Callum Morgan (pictured), now 13 years old, was born just over a pound in weight and has suffered throughout this life with problems like lung disease. Although Callum is one of the hospital's success stories he still goes back for ongoing treatment every single year, seeing the same surgeon each time since the day he was born.

ASK Italian Exeter General Manager Robert Allen presented Great Ormond Street Hospital patient Callum Morgan, 13, with a cheque for £533 after the restaurant raised money throughout August by offering raffle tickets to diners and giving them a chance to win an exclusive Italian food hamper. The total sum raised nationally now stands at over £160,530. However, the overall picture is an awful lot bigger. The 3 year project aims to raise a massive £1,000,000 for GOSH.

The Tour is being supported by a host of British talent, including McFly, Lawrence Dallaglio, Lee Dixon, Dan Lobb and chef Theo Randall, as members of the ASK Italian community cycle, run and swim over 2,500 miles and visit every ASK Italian restaurant across Britain in order to collect funds raised locally for the charity.

Steve Holmes, ASK Italian MD commented: "The Grand Tour offers our customers and the public the chance to get involved in something that will make a difference to so many children at Great Ormond Street Hospital.

“We hope the Grand Tour will capture the spirit of ASK Italian; raise a huge sum of money for a charity close to our hearts, celebrate our passion for real Italian food and culture and of course, have some fun along the way.”

For more information on the Grand Tour or to donate to the charity, visit the ASK Italian Grand Tour website: www.askitaliangrandtour.co.uk, or visit your local ASK Italian restaurant.