A Bristol charity has launched a Christmas raffle to raise funds for young people experiencing food insecurity. The MAZI Project hopes to raise £6,000, with all proceeds going towards supporting care leavers, young asylum seekers and youths overcoming homelessness.
The funds raised from the sale of their raffle tickets will be used to provide over 2,000 nourishing meals and 380 meal kits for disadvantaged young people across Bristol. Raffle tickets can be purchased for £5 and alongside going towards funding a local charity, there are over 30 prizes on offer for the lucky winners.
The top prizes include two VIP tickets for Feast On 2025, two £50 Bianchi’s Group restaurant vouchers and a three-month subscription to Bristol Beer Factory. Lucky raffle winners could also benefit from a power boat trip for up to nine people around the historic Floating Harbour.
The MAZI project works with Bristol’s independent food sector, local community and partner charities to create an inclusive environment for vulnerable young people ‘to experience the power of food and feel part of Bristol’s thriving community’. The project was founded in response to the free school meal scandal in January 2021 when food parcels sent to children who were normally eligible for free school meals were criticised for being inadequate
Melanie Vaxevanakis, founder of The MAZI Project, said: “For many of the young people we work with, food insecurity creates barriers to feeling safe and included. At MAZI, we believe that sharing good food can change lives, and this raffle is an opportunity for the Bristol community to come together and make a difference.”
The raffle is open to participants aged 18+. Tickets are £5 or £10 for three, non-refundable, and must be purchased before January 1, 2025. Winners will be announced on January 3, 2025. For more details and to enter, visit The MAZI Project’s website.