Bread and butter choice for Josie

Jan 27 2007 By Daniel Thomson, The Journal

A restaurant owner has cooked up a plan to raise money for The Journal's Josie Grove fund by serving the teenager's favourite dish on his menu.

Andy Hook, who runs Blackfriars in central Newcastle, contacted Josie, 16, after reading about her decision to forego further leukaemia treatment.

After two unsuccessful bone marrow transplants, Josie has decided she wants to spend the time she has left at home with her family.

The teenager told Andy her favourite food was bread and butter pudding and the dish will be on the Blackfriars menu over the coming months - with the money raised from selling the sweet going towards Josie's fund.

Josie, of Princes Street, Corbridge, Northumberland, was at Blackfriars last night with her parents Cliff, 46, and Jacqui, 44, and her three siblings Freddie, 13, Libby, 11, and Charlie, 10 months, to taste the first batch of puddings. She said: "It's delicious. It's one of my favourite foods and it's great the restaurant has come up with the idea of serving bread and butter pudding to raise money for the fund."

Chefs at Blackfriars have devised the pudding with tangy apple and cranberry sauce and are also hoping to develop a pork-based main course in Josie's honour.

Cliff said: "She was really chuffed someone has done a dish especially for her. Bread and butter pudding is one of her favourites. She got into it when her mum Jacqui started cooking it for her after her transplant to build up her strength."

Andy, 40, who also owns Cafe Peel in Dance City, said staff at Blackfriars had been "incredibly moved" by Josie's story.

He said: "We wanted to do something for her. We cannot imagine what she is going through, but the courage and determination she has shown is truly inspirational. When we were thinking of what we could do for her, we came up with the idea of dedicating a meal to her and giving the proceeds from each meal sold to the Josie Grove Leukaemia Fund. We got in touch with Josie's family through The Journal and asked what her favourite meal was. She told us one of her favourites was bread and butter pudding, so we got the chef to come up with a very special version for her. We're delighted to help."

Blackfriars restaurant is the oldest dining room in the country and dates back to 1239 when it was a refectory for Dominican Black Friar Monks.

Andy has owned the restaurant for seven years. In December, Blackfriars received an award from Hollywood star Kevin Spacey at the Old Vic in London for serving `Dinner with a Touch of Theatre'.

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Fund total tops £6,500

The Journal's appeal to raise money for the Josie Grove Leukaemia Fund has now reached more than £6,500.

Readers who donated or sponsored our columnist David Banks, who is losing weight for the appeal, yesterday have upped our total to £6,538.19

They are:

Judi Lines, Darras Hall, Northumberland - £30;

Mr J A Clark - £10;

Mrs I Wise, Forest Hall, North Tyneside - £10;

Mrs S Brown - £10;

ES Adams - £30;

TJ & S Anderson, Corbridge, Northumberland - £25;

TA and B Sisterson - £30;

J Short - £5;

Bill Dalziel, Usworth, Washington - £20;

FR and ES Stephenson - £10;

Ruth Kim, Longhoughton, Northumberland - £10;

JE and SM Cruddas, Esh, Durham - £20;

John and Denise Smailes, North Seaton, Northumberland - £20;

Alec Fish, Ashington, Northumberland - £10;

R Dunlop - £10;

Trevor Dodds, Whickham - £50.00;

Alan Carlin, Ryhope, Sunderland - £10;

Peter Watts, Berwick Upon Tweed, Northumberland - £5;

Mrs K Curtis, Ashington, Northumberland - £20;

Mrs VA Curry - £10;

B Teasdale, Kelso, Roxburghshire - £25;

Mrs P E Boyd, Peebles, Scottish Borders, £50;

Mr & Mrs W Brown, Killingworth, North Tyneside - £10;

G S Wilson, Cramlington, Northumberland - £100;

Adam Brown Charity Cup, White Swan & Black Bull, Lowick, Northumberland - £100.

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How you can help

The Journal is urging readers to get behind our bid to raise money for Josie's fund. There are two ways you can do your bit to help:

Anyone wishing to sponsor our columnist David Banks in his effort to shed the pounds in aid of the Josie Grove Leukaemia Fund should fill in the form here and return it to The Journal, saying how much money you are pledging.

or:

Let us know what fitness-related fundraising method you have come up with yourself to raise cash for The Josie Grove Leukaemia Fund.

Anyone wishing to get involved should contact the newsdesk on (0191) 201-6344 or email jnl.newdesk@ncjmedia.co.uk

You may send cheques payable to The Dove Trust (registered charity 287401) - Josie Grove Leukaemia Fund written on the back - to The Journal, PO Box 1146, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE99 1ET.