COUPLE OPEN NOMINATIONS FOR CORONATION WEEKEND FUNDRAISER

Rachael Willoughby and Elliott Richmond, the founders of pizza franchise CasaGees, are asking local people in Cleeve near Cheltenham to nominate a local community project or charity for their fund-raising drive to mark the Coronation of King Charles III.

Over the Coronation weekend (May 5 and May 6) the couple will donate half of their turnover from pizza deliveries in their own community to a local good cause – within a four mile radius of their Cleeve home. Based on their sales from delivering their traditional Neapolitan pizzas, they expect to donate up to £500. 

Rachael said: “As a very local business – we sell and deliver our pizzas within a few miles of our home – we do believe in giving back and this momentous weekend is a ‘moment’ to do just that.

“Under our initiative Takeaway2Giveaway we’re asking members of our community to nominate a very local community project or charity where a donation of between £300 and £500 will make an impact and really help. 

“This could be for a community group, a sports team, a local charitable project. We will shortlist three nominations and ask our audience to vote for one.”

The plan is that after the Coronation, money will be donated within the week to the winning project. Over the last two years, the couple have already made similar donations to Woodmancote Cricket Club and The Hub.

Elliott said: “Our business franchise model is built around a small community business which makes a difference within a small area. Many communities have volunteers across many sectors who are doing their best to help their neighbours in all walks of life. This is one little thing we can do ourselves to make a small difference to someone in our own backyard.” 

The couple set up CasaGees alongside their software business during lockdown and thought it would help them weather the storm of the pandemic. Elliott, who was brought up overseas, has always made pizzas from scratch and they started delivering to their community on Friday and Saturday evenings. 

Almost three years on they are still making and delivering pizzas in Cleeve and have now started a franchise for others to do the same across the UK. On average they can make £2,000 in profit per month. 

Elliott makes his own dough and with no more than 48 pizzas made per evening, all orders are allocated a time slot, booked via the website. Delivery is kept to a four-mile radius to ensure the pizzas are delivered hot and on time. 

To nominate a project in the Cleeve area to receive this donation, visit www.casagees.co.uk/takeaway-2-giveaway and the deadline for nominations is midnight on Sunday April 9. The shortlist of the final three will be published and voting will begin from Monday April 17th. The winner will be announced prior to the Coronation celebrations.