A Newcastle pub served 200 burgers and 1,100 snacks to the homeless after strangers placed orders through a viral online game over the weekend
Newcastle: A viral online game helped feed the homeless this weekend. Chris Illman, the game’s founder, praised the staff at Wetherspoons for their support.
On Sunday, Chris brought Wetherspoons The Game to the Mile Castle pub. Generous people ordered 200 burgers, chips, and drinks for those in need, plus over 1,100 snacks.
In this game, Facebook group members share their table number and pub name. Others can then pay for food and drinks for those at the table.
The group has 770,000 members. Participants are encouraged to “pay it forward” by helping others in return.
Chris and moderators visit different cities on the first Sunday of each month to feed the homeless. This was their first trip to Newcastle.
They ordered 200 meals in just 43 minutes, averaging about 13 orders per minute. The snacks were also a big hit among the group members.
Chris partnered with Newcastle Helping Street Friends to distribute the food. He thanked the city and the Mile Castle staff for their kindness.
During the visit, Chris signed a deed poll to change his name to Chris Spoons Illman. He had promised to do this when the group reached 500,000 members.
Chris felt relieved to start the name change process. He plans big events when the group hits one million members.
They will play Wetherspoons The Game in six cities over two days, donating all food to local charities for the homeless.
Join the Wetherspoons The Game Facebook group for more updates and community news.
