We just love Adam from our Basingstoke YMCA, he could probably have covered the whole 60 Days of Positivity all by himself! But we had to ration him as otherwise there is always the risk of too much of a good thing!! (we cant do a smiley face icon on here but you know we would if we could!). So here is Adam sharing with you about the partnership that YMCA Basingstoke have formed with their local Nando’s restaurant: 

“We have the most fantastic partnership with our local Nando’s. They have a community impact project called “do the right thing”. Nando’s support us by helping support our projects over the year, last year we had a garden project, where we undertook the first stages of our back-garden project. The Nando’s team brought 40 members of staff and their families to come and help, they also provided a BBQ for all the helpers. We weeded our planting area (it was as thick as the amazon rain forest!) added some manure, then planted our Nando’s chillies, some of these we used in our own cooking program the “the kitchen sink” and the rest went to the Nando’s store where they were used in the Nando’s recipes. 

We also receive weekly donations of chicken, we use this in our programs, and our chill out evenings. We get “Chicken Cheques” so that our young people can go into the restaurant and eat with friends. Moreover, any of our young people that apply for jobs at Nando’s are given a trial shift, and take priority. We have several young people living with us that work full-time for Nando’s.

We are looking forward to working with Nando’s throughout 2018, where they will be supporting us with our “sleep easy” event on the 17th March 2018, and in our spring garden project on Friday 18th May 2018. It would be awesome for as many staff as possible from our amazing group to come and help, and share the fun! Families welcome! We are also working towards a training opportunity, where Nando’s top chef (and recipe creator) to come down and teach some top-secret tips with our young people, they will also receive the Nando’s food hygiene certificate.

This partnership with Nando’s (Scott), has enabled us to provide opportunities, training and experiences for our young people cost free, at a time when funding is ever dwindling. And we are most grateful……. THANK YOU NANDO’S. 

Wow what a fantastic partnership, well done Adam and team. If you would like to know more keep watching this blog as we will be sharing a video of Adam in the next couple of months.