The Shrewsbury Big Curry will take place in The Square on Saturday 23 July from 11am – 4pm and is being organised by Nick Chavasse, Managing Director of NRG Direct Mail Ltd, a former Major in the British Army. Also involved in the event are key sponsors HEART of ENGLAND fine foods (HEFF) and Shropshire Council.

The day will be a ‘curry cook-off’ between the Army chefs from 143 (West Midlands) Brigade and HEFF’s TASTE kitchen chef, Ed Warren, based at the Shropshire Food Enterprise Centre on Battlefield Enterprise Park. Who will win? You decide!

The TASTE kitchen chef and the Army chef will both be serving curry in The Square and a £5 donation to the charity will get a portion of each curry with rice for shoppers to cast their vote for their favourite. The TASTE kitchen chef will be using locally sourced ingredients and the Army chef will be using a recipe popular with soldiers. The winning chef will then be announced at the end of the day. There will also be a bar, music and stands for local businesses supporting the event. Any businesses that want to get involved should contact Nick Chavasse from NRG Direct Mail.

This is the first year Shrewsbury has taken part in The Big Curry events programme which is in its fifth year. It is a crucial fundraising event for The Soldiers’ Charity which gives lifetime support to serving and retired soldiers and their families.

In 2010 The Soldiers’ Charity was able to give £76,132.50 to support 72 different cases including soldiers and their families in Shropshire.

Richard Hackett, The Soldiers’ Charity Regional Director for the West Midlands said: “We’re delighted that a Big Curry event is being held in Shrewsbury to raise money for The Soldiers’ Charity and are pleased to be doing this in conjunction with HEART of ENGLAND fine foods and Shropshire Council. The money raised will go directly to helping soldiers and their families in the region so I hope that people will come to The Square and support us.

“In recent years, we have seen a 30 per cent rise in applications for support from soldiers, former soldiers and their families. By increasing our income through fund raising events, The Soldiers’ Charity is ensuring it can help each and every soldier that requests its help and to do this we need the support of the public even more than ever.”