The brewer and pub operator has given the money to help the Community Services Fund, which provides funds to licensees who are looking to broaden their services to the wider community and cannot find suitable funding from other sources. With grants of up to £4,000 available, applicants must demonstrate that they will be offering a new service or replacing a service that has already been lost to its local community.
Since 2013, the fund has supported 38 projects in England and benefitted over 40,000 people.
One beneficiary of the fund is Juliette Chapman of freehouse the Queen’s Head at Hawkedon near Bury St Edmunds. Juliette now provides her community with a butchery which is adjoined to the pub and has been a real success.
John Longden, chief executive of Pub is The Hub, said: "We are enormously grateful that Greene King has endorsed the work we have done to date with the Community Services Fund by contributing to it for the second year running. Their kind donation will see at least £30,000 in real improvements to rural and community services through the heroic efforts of licensees who take the leap of faith to broaden their appeal and long-term viability.”
Rooney Anand, Greene King’s chief executive said: “We have continued to support Pub is the Hub with additional central funding this year. Pubs are an important part of the community and the Community Services Fund provides crucial support to enable pubs to offer other services to their local area, such as butchers, libraries or post offices. We are heartened to see what a positive impact the Community Services Fund has already made and look forward to seeing further progress this year.”