St Albans club is currying favour with local charities

Some men don’t really need an excuse to balti out the door for a curry with their mates …

But it seemed like raising money for charity while eating would create good korma for a bunch of well-meaning lads.

With no wife or kids to bhaji into their conversation, the Man Curry Club is certainly making samosa it.

So they meet every four weeks and poppadom to their favourite restaurants, paying an additional ‘curry levy’ of 10 percent of the bill to their chosen charity for that month.

The group of friends – many of whom are actively involved in the St Albans Scout movement - have raised £2,314 for 25 good causes, including Cancer Research, Bliss, Shelter, Nepal Earthquake Fund and Mind.

They recently crowned Andy Porter the ‘Curry King’ at their ‘Great Curry Cook Off’, after nine members battled it out to make two dishes in two hours, as part of a fundraiser for local hospices.

Peter Barker who arranged the contest said: “This was a fun event that was the result of a few of us bidding on a curry experience auction lot at The Chocolate Ball in November. The competition was fierce but it was a fabulous afternoon which we hope to replicate next year.”

When the club visited Mumtaj in London Road, its owner contacted the group from New York to donate £50.

Club member and organiser Andy Stirrat said: “The concept is simple. We literally eat curry for charity every month.

“It’s a hard job but someone has to do it and it provides us with an opportunity to meet up and do something worthwhile. Put simply, the more we eat, the more we raise so it’s win win.”

Sounds like their dedication is second to naan. Often the curry house staff agrees to donate their tip from the meal too.

And at the end of a night out, they can all go home, knowing they made a difference - as they lay their heads on the soft pilau and lie down on their comfy madras.