Curry lovers urged to #BackTheBhaji and raise money for Northampton charity

With restaurants getting ready to open their doors after lockdown, hungry diners at an award-winning Northampton curry house can raise money for charity by enjoying a fresh batch of onion bhajis.

Saffron, in Castilian Street, is taking part in the first-ever ‘British Curry Day’ on Thursday, December 3 – a day celebrating the pioneers of a cuisine that has gone on to become part and parcel of our everyday lives.

The humble onion bhaji is being given the chance to shine as part of the celebrations, and Saffron is donating all profits from the sale of bhajis on Thursday to The Lowdown – supported by the Mayor of Northampton Councillor Brian Sargeant.

Saffron owner Naz Islam said: “British curry is a cuisine all of its own, blending the flavours of our forefathers with a modern interpretation influenced by 21st-century life. Nowhere else in the world does a curry quite like we do and this is a day to celebrate that.

“We’re looking forward to getting involved and would urge everyone to #BackTheBhaji and help us raise plenty of money for such a brilliant cause.”

The Lowdown, based in Kingswell Street, Northampton, is a voluntary mental health charity, providing free and confidential counselling, emotional wellbeing, sexual health and LGBTQ support services for 11-25-year-olds.

It has been selected as the official ‘Mayor’s Charity’ for 2020/21 but the COVID-19 pandemic has seen many of the usual fundraising events cancelled, leaving opportunities for donations limited.

Mayor of Northampton, Cllr Brian Sargeant said: “We have been left frustrated by having to cancel so many events which has severely limited our fundraising capabilities this year so this gesture by Saffron is extremely welcome.

“Tucking into a delicious onion bhaji seems like a very good way of raising money for a charity that does so much good work for the young people of Northampton.”

British Curry Day is the brainchild of Enam Ali MBE, founder of the coveted British Curry Awards. It is the chance to pay tribute to the pioneers of British Curry and celebrate the end of the COVID-19 lockdown in England by encouraging people to eat out, order a takeaway or host in dinner party in accordance with government restrictions.

He said: “Tragically we are losing many of the country’s first curry restaurateurs, who are now elderly with severe underlying health issues, to the pandemic.

“These people came to a strange foreign land at the invitation of the British government and through their own endeavours and willingness to work anti -social hours – built a special industry, which is now an integral part of British society.”

Saffron is reopening to diners on Wednesday, December 2 and has committed to extending the popular ‘Eat Out to Help Out’ offer by giving diners up to £10 per person off the cost of their meal on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays throughout December.

The restaurant donated more than 1,000 meals to doctors and nurses at Northampton General Hospital during the peak of the pandemic and extended a 50 per cent discount to all frontline NHS and emergency services staff, as well as teachers and school staff during the second lockdown.

For more details call Saffron on 01604 630800 or visit https://www.britishcurryday.org/