Ambleside-based charity, Brathay Trust, are offering a hand-made dinner service worth £1,550 as the prize in a raffle for their Christmas appeal.

The service is being raffled by the charity to raise funds to help young people who have been hit especially hard by the coronavirus pandemic, as many find themselves jobless and mentally and emotionally struggling with isolation.

The beautiful dinner service was created by Brathay’s Artists in Residence Miles Moore Ceramics (MMC) and donated by one of their very generous patrons.

MMC are known for creating exquisite dinner services for some of the UK’s most celebrated chefs and the service provides plates, large and small bowls for six settings, six co-ordinating mugs, two table vases, two decorative orbs, and an eye-catching larger serving bowl.

Martin Miles Moore said: “Working closely with chefs at the highest level for the last four years, we have learned a lot about what elevates a dining experience. This year has meant more people are eating at home and trying to make mealtimes feel more special and we thought it would be wonderful to help people make their festive meals extra special too.”

The set has been produced using an old Japanese technique of creating patterns with coloured clay known as Neriagi, producing minimalist, delicate dark swirls on a calming background designed to focus the eye and frame the food.

The service comes with two striking Microcosm sculptures, created by Martin’s wife Siobhan, and glazed with the unique ‘Brathay Glaze’ with copper leaf gilding on the inside.

Brathay spokesperson Peter Grenville said: “We’re blown away by the generosity of the client who has paid for this set to be produced by MMC, so that we can raffle it. We’re also in awe of how beautiful the dinner services is – it will certainly make someone’s Christmas dinner extra special!”

The raffle will be drawn on December 18th - Tickets are £5 each, and can be purchased via Brathay’s website: https://www.brathay.org.uk/news/win-dinner-service