London-based Big Hug Brewing has collaborated with Pub Love Group venues, which now stock its beer for the charity Only A Pavement Away (OAPA).
The charity acts as a conduit between hospitality employers and former offenders, veterans and homeless people.
Only A Pale Ale Away is a 4.6% ABV pale ale that has been stocked in Pub Love sites across London since August.
Brewery founder Matt Williams explained he had wanted to get involved with the charity to give back to those in need.
He said: “It was always important for me to try and give a little something back when we set up the brand.”
Shared values
The brewery has run an initiative called Hugs4Snugs since 2017 that allows customers to exchange clothing donations for the homeless for a free beer.
Williams explained: “Seeing what Greg Mangham, the founder of OAPA, was doing on a Sky News report last year made me think that we had a natural synergy.
“We have now been able to formalise a relationship and can hopefully help them in giving something back – be it raising awareness, helping them with the initiatives, putting businesses that we work with in touch with them or simply raising funds.
“It will all make a difference to someone.”
The brewery said it would also donate to the charity from its corporate social responsibility budget.
Fantastic initiative
These donations will fund the flasks used in the charity’s own awareness campaign, Fill A Flask.
Branded flasks have been handed out to the homeless in London, Brighton and Manchester to raise awareness of the help the charity can offer.
The beer will soon be available to other sites through direct delivery in London and a wider network of wholesalers including Nectar Imports.
OAPA founder Greg Mangham added: “This is a fantastic initiative and I cannot wait to taste this delicious beer.”
The charity aims to help 250 homeless, ex-veterans and former offenders find employment in the hospitality industry, and needs to raise £250,000 for this.
The Morning Advertiser senior reporter Nikkie Thatcher visited a category C training prison that has been working with OAPA to give offenders career opportunities in hospitality on their release.
