Worthing social media star treats local families to Christmas shopping for third year running
A well-known Worthing social media personality has once again brought festive cheer to local families, after running his annual Christmas Shopping Trolley giveaway for the third year in a row.
Worthing dad-of-three Steve Chiswell, also known locally as Chizzy, treated seven families to a Christmas shopping trip after organising the giveaway through his popular Facebook community, Worthing Foodies.
Steve first rose to prominence on social media through his food content and family-friendly cooking videos and now runs what is widely regarded as the biggest and most engaged food-focused Facebook group in Worthing. The group has grown to more than 25,000 members, with over 2,000 new members joining in the last three weeks alone. Across Facebook and Instagram, Steve has built a following of more than 110,000 people.
Speaking about the initiative, Steve said: “I first ran the Shopping Trolley Giveaway in 2023, supporting five families, and it was such a success that we wanted to come back even bigger. This year we were able to support seven families, which feels more important than ever with how tough things are for so many people right now.”
This year’s Shopping Trolley was made possible through £1,400 in donations, contributed by local businesses and members of the Worthing Foodies community. The main sponsor was Sussex Building Solutions, who generously donated four £300 handyman vouchers, alongside support from a wide range of independent businesses and restaurant owners across the area.
Steve added: “The support has honestly been overwhelming. Worthing Foodies really is a community. We share a love of food, but it’s also about kindness, positivity and looking out for one another. It’s welcoming, uplifting and very different from a lot of groups online.”
The seven winning families were personally taken shopping by Steve and his daughters Fi, Chloe and Ruby at Morrisons in Worthing, making the experience extra special and personal.
Alongside the Shopping Trolley initiative, Steve also ran the hugely popular Worthing Foodies Christmas Calendar, featuring 25 days of festive giveaways. In total, the calendar raised over £5,000 worth of prizes, in addition to the £1,400 Shopping Trolley fund, all of which were donated by local businesses.
Prizes included restaurant vouchers, oven cleans, M&S vouchers donated by Airports 2 Go, handyman vouchers from Sussex Building Solutions, match tickets from Worthing Rugby Club, dining vouchers from Travel by Lucie, and even a bouncy castle hire donated by local entertainer Dave Hunt.
Steve explained that he created the Worthing Foodies group four years ago, following the Covid-19 lockdowns, as a way to bring people together during a difficult time.
“We mainly recommend home-cooked meals and great local places to eat. People of all ages use the group every day – it really does feel like one big family.”
Steve and his daughter Fi have also previously organised a laptop appeal for children during lockdown, as well as collections to support the homeless in the local area, reflecting the family’s ongoing commitment to giving back.
Steve added: “I’m very fortunate that things are going well for me personally and professionally, so giving something back to the community just feels right. I genuinely look after my group members and treat them like an extension of my own family.”