A CITY restaurant has celebrated more than a decade of serving up food from around the globe with donations to two much-loved local charities.
COSMO world banqueting restaurant, in London Road, has been cooking up a storm for 11 years, raising thousands of pounds for local charities at the same time.
To celebrate its milestone birthday, COSMO held a charity raffle and has since donated £880 each to two deserving local charities: the Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre and Invisible Fields, the nominated charity of Mayor of Derby, Councillor Ged Potter.
The Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre charity has been providing free seaside stays at its specialist centre in Skegness since 1891. Children are nominated to go to the centre if they may not otherwise get a holiday at all, whether for financial or other reasons, such as caring for relatives.
Alan Grimadell, chair of the charity, said: “We are delighted to receive this excellent donation from COSMO as a result of its 11th birthday celebrations.
“We have had fantastic support from COSMO over the years and we are very grateful to them. Every donation puts more smiles on the faces of Derbyshire children that we help. Thank you, COSMO!”
Invisible Friends supports young people with hidden illnesses such as autism and diabetes through the power and creativity of choral singing; providing them with an opportunity to find their voice and to use it in a positive way. The group meets in St Philip’s Church, in Chaddesden.
Councillor Potter said: “Invisible Friends is a group of young people who, in the main, struggle with debilitating illnesses and other life changing issues that, thankfully, the majority of us do not have to cope with.
“Yet through supporting each other, and engaging with public events like the Invisible Friends Choir, they show immense strength of character, resolve and pride, which I personally have found amazing.
“I am particularly grateful for this donation from COSMO as Invisible Friends has no support other than family and friends.”
In the last 11 years COSMO has been an active member of the Derby community raising thousands of pounds for good causes.
In 2013 when the company spent more than £1m transforming the former Zanzibar nightclub into the restaurant, the sultan statue on its roof was auctioned in support of Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre in Skegness, raising £420 towards a minibus.
In 2019, COSMO introduced ‘Charity Tuesdays’ where youngsters were invited to eat for £1 with proceedings donated to Derby County Community Trust (DCCT) which has worked on many projects such as Rams in Kenya which takes volunteers to Africa to improve facilities in schools.
A similar promotion, with help from Peppa Pig and George, raised almost £750 for When you Wish Upon a Star, which helps make dreams come true for poorly children.
And in 2020, when restaurants were forced to close during lockdown, COSMO once again showed its big heart by delivering free hot meals to key workers at local hospice Treetops. With members of the public told to stay at home – and Treetops forced to close its Wellbeing Space – 40 members of the ‘Hospice at Home’ team, which included nurses and healthcare assistants, travelled miles across South Derbyshire and South Nottinghamshire to provide care in patient’s own homes during the day and overnight.
Director Kan Koo said: “The last 11 years have been the most challenging period in hospitality history – with a global pandemic, Brexit and the cost-of-living crisis. This has meant that the high street has said goodbye to many of its well-established names – which is why we are so proud that COSMO continues to remain strong.
“We are justifiably proud to be celebrating this milestone and happy to share our good fortune with two charities which have children at their heart. As a family restaurant, which welcomes children of all ages, we feel these two charities are a perfect fit for COSMO.
“It has been an exciting 11 years of eating, celebrating and good times. Here’s to the next 11 years of living locally, eating globally and rewarding our patrons with value for money dining.”
This story was written and shared on behalf of COSMO by Sarah Newton. Can we share your news and get you in the headlines too? Find out how we can help by getting in touch.
