Dartmouth Academy is going to benefit from a new Dartmouth Food Festival Appeal. 

A new fundraising appeal to help inspire the next generation of home cooks and professional chefs is being launched at this month’s Dartmouth Food Festival being held from Friday, October 19 to Sunday, October 21. 

Festival Chair, Sheila Shribman, said: “As a Festival, we are continually exploring new ways to support and invest in our local community, and the Dartmouth Food Festival Appeal is a way of encouraging festival-goers to be part of that.

“The appeal will enable people to learn more about the community activities we’re currently involved in, and to make a donation that will help make a real difference.” 

Funds raised from the inaugural Dartmouth Food Festival Appeal will help Dartmouth Academy’s Food Technology department push forward its plans for improvement. 

Dartmouth Academy Principal, Tina Graham, said: “Dartmouth Academy is excited to be the beneficiary of the first Dartmouth Food Festival Appeal.

“It is an exceptional opportunity for us to broaden the range of curriculum we cover, raise aspirations and encourage more pupils to consider a career in hospitality. 

“The funds raised will be used to buy key items of kitchen equipment that will help us deliver better practical teaching about food preparation and balanced eating across the full age range of pupils.” 

Smaller items in urgent need of replacement include a knife sharpener and pans suitable for use on induction hobs.

Other priority items include an industrial-standard dishwasher which would free up technician time and enable technicians to concentrate on supporting pupils in class with practical work; chefs’ whites; small items of competition-standard equipment to transform presentation and display; and a ’sous vide’ which will enable pupils to link food preparation with work they are doing in science. 

Appeal donation points will be located in the Market Square, on the Embankment and at the Festival Information Stand in Royal Avenue Gardens throughout the Dartmouth Food Festival weekend with volunteers on hand to answer questions.  

 Sheila Shribman said: “We are very pleased to be supporting Dartmouth Academy this year and I hope festival-goers will be as excited as we are by the potential for this and future appeals to help our local community. Please pop along to any of our donation points at this year’s Festival to find out more and contribute if you can. Thank you for your support.”