Chris Illman, 42 from Portsmouth set up ‘Wetherspoons the game’ in 2018, after going through a difficult time when he was diagnosed with cancer and ended up homeless as he faced treatment. The game is a Facebook group that anyone can join where people post what Wetherspoon pub they are in, with their table number; and generous followers will send them drinks or food.
Sometimes people will ask for specific drinks they would enjoy or sometimes they just simply would be happy with anything. One example of a time someone played the game is them writing ‘Newly single been stood up for my first date since my split 😦 any drinks/ food welcome just want to eat and drown my sorrows 😦 I have payed forward before and will do again… Thank you so much guys xxx Table 23 four candles Oxford..’ This resulted in an abundance of kind-hearted people sending food and drink to cheer her up.
Through the game they have organised multiple homeless drives, where Chris and the team go to a Wetherspoon pub and ask followers to purchase things such as snacks, canned soft drinks and burgers. All of which later gets distributed to homeless people in the area.
On the 29th of February Chris and other people from the Wetherspoon game brought their homeless drive to Liverpool. It started in the North Western Wetherspoon. Chris put posts up on the facebook game asking people ‘SNACKS SNACKS SNACKS…, please send as many snacks as you can toooo…’
300 burgers were sold in 19 minutes, with almost 3000 crisps, nuts and biscuits sold, with the Wetherspoon app even crashing because of how busy it was.
Following this they also made their way over to the Lime Kiln, located in Concert Square where more generous people further donated the same things.
Chris later showed his thanks for all of the people that went into helping on the night, thanking the Pub Manager of the North Western ‘Christian, the pub manager, what a bloody legend!!!! He had all this planned out so so well, had extra staff to help out and even discounted the food on the app!!! Nothing was too much hassle for this guy and he made the event such a success!!! Your pub and staff are amazing, thank you!!!’
‘Robin for coordinating and bringing together SEVEN homeless organisations to distribute the food, nothing on this scale has ever been seen before, over 100 volunteers!!’
Overall it was a fantastic event that ran smoothly, and showed just how generous the public can be.
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Mersey Focus 