PubAid praises record support from pub industry
The benefactors include brewers, pub companies and sector suppliers with several existing supporters renewing their commitment to provide PubAid with funds, and others have come forward for the first time to be either a ‘friend’, ‘supporter’ or ‘patron’, giving between £1,000 and £5,000 per year for at least three years.
PubAid founder Des O’Flanagan said: “We’re delighted with the response to our requests for support, particularly in the current uncertain environment for the industry. Receiving this level of funding is a great endorsement for our work and puts us on a sure footing to expand our activities.”
MPs and policymakers take note
He continued: “Pubs raise more than £100m for charities every year and support grassroots sport to the tune of £40m, impressive figures that everyone in the pub industry should be proud of, and more people outside it, particularly our MPs and policymakers, should be aware of.
“Pubs also provide incredible support for their communities, as became abundantly clear in the first lockdown. We’ve worked hard to cast a spotlight on these dedicated and selfless licensees, including through our Community Pub Hero Awards, which received more than 100 nominations last year, many of them from MPs.”
Big ambitions
He added: “We’re looking forward to running the awards again later this year, as well as our World’s Biggest Pub Quiz, returning in May in partnership with Shelter. PubAid is a small team of volunteers but we have big ambitions to spread the good news about pubs.”
PubAid patrons are Greene King, Heineken, Stonegate, Zonal and Beds & Bars; supporters are Asahi UK, Fuller, Smith & Turner, Molson Coors and PVS; and friends are Admiral Taverns, Everards, Punch Pubs and Westons Cider.
PubAid is a working party created in 2009 to promote UK pubs as a force for good in their communities, sharing the message that they raise more than £100m per year for charities and contribute a further £40m to grassroots sport.
