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Annual Challenge Returns To Find Ryde's Biggest Pancake Tosser

The battle to find Ryde's best pancake tosser is back for its sixth year.

Independent Councillor, Michael Lilley, established the annual event in 2017. It was set up to raise awareness of poverty and the work of Isle of Wight Foodbanks.

The aim of the game is to flip as many pancakes as possible in three minutes. Last year, the event was held virtually and over the last 5 years over £9000 has been raised. All funds raised this year will go to Ryde/IW Food Bank.

As Ryde Mayor and IW Council’s Mental Health Champion, Cllr Lilley is hosting the evening on Pancake Day (Tuesday).

Over the last two years during Covid-19, Ryde Food Bank never closed and was there supplying food to those in real need. This event celebrates and thanks them. 

After two years of the pandemic, food poverty is still a huge issue in UK and Ryde.

New data released by the Food Foundation shows continued rise in food insecurity across the UK. Compared with July 2021 the figure has risen from 7.3% of UK households to 8.8% (4.7 million adults) in the past month.

Cllr Lilley, Mayor of Ryde, said:

“To me everything starts with a child and if a child is given a good start in life then there is hope for this child, the family, the community and society. However, if a child lives in poverty in the UK in 2022, they are 11 times more likely to fall into care and there future is less hopeful.

"Every child deserves hope and we have to focus more resources in changing this.

"As an older adult in the community, a granddad, I feel I have a moral and ethical duty to campaign for future generations and eradication of poverty. On the Isle of Wight the IW Food Bank are on the coalface of getting food to families and children who are in crisis.

"We need to support this but also campaign for a society that does not need this form of charity. It is totally unacceptable that children and families in 2022 Britain have to rely on charity to live, but if it wasn’t for Ryde and IW Food Bank many children would have starved. Please support by donating funds.”

Anyone who wishes to challenge the Mayor and help raised funds for the Ryde/IW Food banks can come along to Pickle and Dill, Union Street tomorrow.

The winner of the most flips will get a Pickle and Dill hamper.

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