Geoff Redfearn was a close friend of Realia Directors, Paul and Nicola Williamson. The Realia team also got to know Geoff after participating in an ‘away day’ that he organised at his Thai restaurant, Redfearns.
Sadly, Geoff passed away after a sudden illness in 2018. When Geoff’s recipe notes were discovered in his restaurant, Paul and Nicola decided that they could not simply leave them to gather dust on a kitchen shelf. What better way to honor a chef than by publishing his recipes – recreated by his family and friends.
Realia believes in ‘giving something back’ and actively participates in community and charity events alongside their client portfolio, providing time, skill and resource. An army of 37 chefs was recruited, who together cooked over 50 recipes. Realia then managed the production of the book from copywriting, to design and print.
Over £3,000 was initially raised through book sales and memorial donations. The Growing Space charity organises gardening activities for people in Somerset. It was a charity Geoff held close to his heart, and from where he sourced many of his restaurant ingredients. It seemed the obvious choice to receive all of the funds raised. Since the donation, the team has developed ‘Geoff’s Place’ – an outdoor area where larger groups of people can come together.
The cookbook is still available to purchase online at www.realia.co/grub for £14.99 plus delivery and proceeds from ongoing sales will be donated to The Growing Space. (www.thegrowingspace.org.uk)
“Geoff’s Place is a much-needed addition to the facilities we offer. It provides a larger, outdoor area for groups of people to work more effectively together and enjoy the benefits that gardening activities bring to their mental health and wellbeing.”
NICK TRUMAN
Horticulture Worker, The Growing Space
“The Naked Geoff: 101lbs of Grub is more than a cookbook; it is a beautiful, personal tribute to a man who had such a positive impact on his friends, family and community. I’m proud that Realia has been able to create such an inspirational and fitting legacy to our dear friend, Geoff, simply by taking the time and care to use the skills at our fingertips.”
NICOLA WILLIAMSON
Project Lead, Realia
