Flourish is so very grateful for the ongoing support of Refuge.
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Last year we very generously received £8,500 from Refuge towards our work. As a charity we do not receive statutory funding for the work that we do, so donations like this are vital to be able to provide long-term support for survivors of human trafficking.
HOW REFUGE STARTED
Refuge Hot Chocolate (now Refuge Chocolate) has been fully operational since 2017 led by Chief Potion Maker Tara Mullan.
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'Not being a tea or coffee drinker I spent many years sampling the hot chocolate drinks throughout Ireland and beyond, never quite getting one that hit the taste buds of how I thought a hot chocolate should taste. Until a few years ago I went skiing in Andora and tasted something that hit the spot. It was strong, thick and had so much taste. More like melted chocolate than the expensive dish water I was often served in cafes.
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This awakening must have been filed away in the depths of my brain and came to the fore when I was trying to come up with a solution to financially support a local anti human trafficking charity I volunteer for. I briefly tested several ideas of projects to raise finance for the charity.
Until one day the name Refuge and hot chocolate literally dropped into my head. This is when I started experimenting with recipes I read about and ones I made up.
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Once I got closer to what I thought was a good tasting drink I asked friends to test some and give me feedback. After this I had the recipe for the original chocolate. It's still the same recipe we use today.'