Bolstering funds already raised by individual pubs for good causes in their local communities, the initial fundraising drive took place earlier this year and saw some 430 pubs take part.
These donations have since been added to by the Craft Union Pub Company, which pledged to match each pubs’ fundraising amount.
Heart of the community
Stonegate Group managing director Helen Charlesworth said: “The communities in which our pubs operate are as important to us as they are to their residents.
“Often a local pub sits at the heart of that community. It’s been wonderful to see and hear about all the good causes these establishments have been fundraising for, and the ways in which they bring people together.”
Funds have been raised for causes ranging from pre-schools to hospices, Scout groups to community gardens and boxing clubs to football teams.
The ‘Love your Local’ Campaign has also planned to award 12 football kits to local grassroots teams at the start of the football season, sponsored by Carling and badged with the Craft Union logo.
Proud and impressed
In February this year the Craft Union Pub Company, which won Best Community Pub Operator at the Publican Awards, distributed ‘Love Your Local’ post boxes across its pubs for customers to fill out nomination forms and put forward community projects they wanted to receive funding, the winners of which have now had their donations.
This comes as earlier this week, Stonegate’s legal battle against insurers MS Amlin to recover more than £1bn in Business Interruption loses during the pandemic received its ruling, with the pub company stating it was “far from conclusive”.
Charlesworth added: “We are so impressed by everyone involved and their efforts, we could not be prouder to add to their donations and help deepen the extent of their work even further.”
