Catering students have cooked up a scheme to try to help victims of domestic violence – by hosting a charity fundraising evening at a Norwich hotel school.

Students at City College Norwich will be hosting the charity event at the Debut Restaurant, Ipswich Road on Thursday to raise money for Leeway Domestic Violence and Abuse Services.

The evening has been co-organised by Leeway and the college to help raise funds and provide the students with banqueting experience as part of their course.

The evening, which begins at 6.15pm with pre-arrival drinks, will be followed by a cookery demonstration to tantalise the taste buds for the seven-course dinner that follows and includes saddle of lamb with apricot stuffing or a vegetarian option of wild mushroom pithivier.

Steve Thorpe, head of the Hotel School at City College Norwich, said: 'The Leeway fundraising evening in the Debut Restaurant will provide invaluable experience for our VRQ students, in the kitchens and front of house, of catering for a banqueting-style event. The students and staff of the Debut Restaurant are looking forward to hosting the banquet and providing an evening to remember for Leeway's supporters and guests.'

The evening is set to be attended by more than 60 people, including a visit from Norwich North MP Chloe Smith, with all the proceeds raised from ticket sales and the raffle being donated to Leeway which supports more than 8,000 adults and children every year across Norfolk and Suffolk.

Mandy Proctor, chief executive officer for Leeway, said: 'Without such events taking place awareness and funds for our services will diminish, resulting in thousands of vulnerable people with no place to turn.'

Tickets are £30 each and include a pre-arrival drink, cookery demonstration and seven-course dinner. To buy tickets, contact Emily Nudd on e.nudd@leewaynwa.org.uk or call 07775 334958.

The event fits in with the Norwich Evening News's Don't Suffer in Silence campaign which highlights the plight of domestic violence victims.