In a partnership with hospitality software start-up Peazi, a number of Manchester’s bars, restaurants and cafes are joining forces to raise money for Ukraine ahead of this year’s Eurovision song contest.
Taking place in the UK for the first time since 1998, this year’s Eurovision is a bittersweet celebration of global music. Despite the UK coming second in the 2023 competition, it was agreed that the ceremony would be hosted in Liverpool due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine – who were the voted winners last year.
Venues including Mala, Loaf, Bold Street Coffee and NoHo have already confirmed that they’ll be adding an optional £1 charge to each order made through Peazi in the week leading up to Eurovision (Monday 8 – Sunday 14 May). The donations made across the seven days will go toward vital work in Ukraine and the huge numbers of civilians that have been affected by the war. A donation tracker has also been set up to track the money raised across the week, which now sits at almost £2,000.
“We’re so thrilled to partner with these fantastic venues to support a worthy cause,” said Niels Nielsen, CEO of Peazi. “Our city has always been known for its incredible hospitality industry, and we’re proud to support these businesses as they help make a difference in the world.”
Manchester-based Peazi is an order and pay company committed to social responsibility. It works by managing multiple orders, coupons and discounts to make ordering food and drink much easier. By collaborating with the local venues, Peazi hopes to increase awareness of the ongoing crisis in Ukraine. Their aim is to encourage more people to contribute to the fundraising effort so more people can benefit from the aid.
“Manchester alone has rehomed and helped raise money for so many Ukrainian refugees since the war started. This city always does its bit when things get tough, so it was a no-brainer that we’d work with our venues to try and help further” said Peazi’s marketing manager, Michael Day.
The final of Eurovision 2023 will be hosted this Saturday (13 May) at the M&S Bank Arena. Representing the UK is singer-songwriter Mae Muller, who will perform her newest single and Eurovision entry I Wrote A Song. A number of venues across Manchester will host viewing parties and quizzes to commemorate, quite possibly, one of the campest dates in the calendar year.
