GBPA Community Hero pubs donate prize money
CCEP gave away £10,000 to the category winner as well as a further £1,000 to each shortlisted pub, with the aim of helping them continue and extend the community work that impressed the judges during the competition.
The Old Abbey Taphouse in Hulme took home the title of Community Hero, donating its £10,000 prize money to the social enterprise that runs the venue Steam Hubs and Pubs.
This is so it can continue running the community events that saw the Manchester-based venue crowned last year’s winner.
The social enterprise works with the pub to feed 70 families a week via its Taphouse TV Dinners scheme and other community projects including CommuniTea – where locals come together for a free hot drink and catch up.
Community donation
The runners up received £1,000 each from CCEP, to donate to good causes of their choosing.
The Rose and Crown at Ashbury, Oxfordshire supported a community defibrillator unit and once installed, the team want to raise money to go towards defibrillator training.
Charity Dogs for Good were the chosen good cause for the Alexandra in Wimbledon. The charity is dedicated to making life-changing differences for people with disabilities through the support of expertly trained dogs.
Dorset-based Chaplin’s & The Cellar Bar in Boscombe split its £1,000 between two local causes – arts charity Vita Nova and development trust Recreate Dorset.
Vita Nova is located behind the pub and aids locals in overcoming drug and alcohol addiction via theatre-based support.
Recreate Dorset is a community development trust, which is spearheading a project to construct and equip a new community centre in the village.
Brilliant pubs
Fellow finalist the Dog & Parrot in Eastwood, Nottinghamshire also split the £1,000 between two local charities.
These were Durban House Community Hub, a place that is currently being renovated into somewhere local community members can meet and run activities, and the Dog & Parrot Community Fund, which has been set up so the pub can help local people and raise money for causes they care most about.
The Lion in Treorchy donated its £1,000 to Love Treorchy, adding the funds to its Christmas celebrations including throwing the town’s annual Christmas parage, a loyalty scheme for local independent shops and a Santa’s grotto.
CCEP senior community partnerships manager Holly Firmin said: “Pubs continue to be a lifeline to the communities they operate in, whether that’s helping provide meals or a space for community groups, just like some of the brilliant pubs recognised here.
“We’re so pleased we can help these pubs even a little in continuing their fantastic community work and I look forward to hearing about all of the initiatives they work on in the future.”
