Mayor enlists help of school pupils to launch his restaurant vision

The Royal Borough's newly-elected Mayor, Cllr Asghar Majeed, has issued a creative challenge to pupils at borough schools to come up with a name for his innovative scheme with local restaurants to support charities during his year of office.

Cllr Majeed and his sister, Mayoress Naheed Majeed, have written to schools urging pupils to put on their thinking caps and suggest a title for the scheme in which owners and managers of restaurants will be asked to encourage their customers to make an optional donation when they pay their bill.

Cllr Majeed explained: "When my sister and I took office last month we decided that rather than support just one charity during our year of office we wanted to ensure that a wide range of charities benefit.

"We wanted to set up an easy-to-use system that would engage with the many excellent restaurants across the borough and encourage diners to support charities that make such a valuable contribution to the local community.

"Diners will be able to give as much or as little as they wish, safe in the knowledge that every penny of their contribution will go to that restaurant's chosen charity.

"I am hoping that we will get some creative and original ideas from some of our young residents and urge headteachers to encourage their pupils to take part."

Once the scheme is launched owners and managers of restaurants will be asked to select a charity from the Mayor's approved list which includes many of those supported by previous borough Mayors and a number of new additions (see full list attached).

The Mayor's Office in the Town Hall will make the process as easy as possible by organising the introduction between the chosen charity and the restaurant. The restaurant and the charity will then work together to manage the donations process, with a monthly report to the Mayor's office to monitor the amounts raised.

Schools have until Friday 8 July to submit their suggestions for a name for the scheme.

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