: Critics argue that the promotion might be less about giving away free pies and more about collecting consumer data. Many have questioned the authenticity of the offer, suggesting it might be a marketing ploy to boost engagement or gather personal information under the guise of a promotional giveaway.
| Fact | Description | |------|-------------| | | Melanie Marie Thompson (professionally known as Melanie Marie ). | | Age (2024) | 32 years. | | Background | Grew up in a council estate in East London; trained at Le Cordon Bleu (London) and worked at several high‑street patisseries before founding her own bakery, M&M’s Free Pies , in 2021. | | Core mission | To give away a freshly baked savory or sweet pie to anyone who asks, free of charge, every day from 10 am–2 pm. | | Funding model | A hybrid of BBC PIE (Public‑Interest Enterprise) seed funding (£120 k), a “pay‑what‑you‑can” café side‑business, and a community‑sponsored “pie‑fund” (crowd‑sourced donations from local residents and businesses). | | Impact (as of March 2024) | • 12 000 pies handed out • 4 500 new community members registered on the “Free‑Pie” app • 87 % of recipients reported feeling “more connected” to their neighbourhood. | bbc pie melanie marie free
