Independent family brewer and pub company Shepherd Neame has named Air Ambulance Charity Kent Surrey Sussex (KSS) as its Charity of the Year for 2024/25.

KSS is the local air ambulance charity for Kent, Surrey and Sussex. KSS’s helicopters are flying emergency rooms for millions of people who live in and travel across Kent, Surrey, East and West Sussex 24/7, 365 days a year. When there’s a life-or-death call, they bring specialised doctors, paramedics and treatment to the scene, fast.

It is Shepherd Neame’s fifth Charity of the Year partnership following the relaunch of its Sheps Giving charitable arm in 2018. The Sheps Giving Committee, which oversees Shepherd Neame’s charity initiatives and donations, will be working closely with KSS to organise fundraising and promotional activities at the Faversham Brewery and across its 300-strong pub and hotel estate throughout the next 12 months. 

These will include a pledge to donate 50p from every Kids’ Meal Deal sold on its Menu for Minis to KSS. Working with the charity Pennies, the digital charity box, Shepherd Neame will also be inviting customers drinking and dining at selected pubs to make a 25 pence donation when they spend over £25 by card. Every penny given goes to charity: 90% to KSS and 10% to Pennies. 

Shepherd Neame has already got its fundraising for KSS off to a great start, as 22 team members, including Chief Executive Jonathan Neame, took part in the recent Lake District Ultra Challenge. Setting off from Kendal they ran, walked and jogged 100K, 50K or 25K, raising almost £8,000.

During the partnership KSS will also be helping to organise education and prevention-focused activities in Shepherd Neame pubs and hotels. This will include activities such as CPR awareness training around Restart a Heart Day in October this year, helping to create more lifesavers in communities across the region. There will also be fun-packed quiz and bingo nights.

Jonathan Neame said “When choosing our new Charity of the Year partner for 2024/25, we wanted to work with an organisation that really makes a difference to the communities we serve, and KSS does just that. 

“When I recently visited their Redhill site to meet Chief Executive David Welch and his team, I was incredibly impressed by their passion, skill and dedication. Every pound that Shepherd Neame donates to this fantastic charity will literally help their team to save more lives, so we will be doing everything we can to raise as much money for them as possible. We are really looking forward to working with KSS during the coming year.”

David Welch, Chief Executive of KSS, said: “We are delighted and extremely proud to be partnering with Shepherd Neame, a highly successful, locally based business that shares in our values and proudly supports the communities we both serve. We’re looking forward to working closely together to raise vital awareness and funds for our lifesaving work, as well as helping to equip and train Shepherd Neame employees and customers with skills such as CPR so that together we can save even more lives.

“It costs over £51K per day to operate our lifesaving service, and as a charity we can only keep flying and saving lives thanks to the generosity of people right across Kent, Surrey and Sussex. We are incredibly grateful to Shepherd Neame for supporting KSS and we’re looking forward to working with everyone at the company and its customers over the coming year.”

Find out more about Sheps Giving at www.shepherdneame.co.uk/sheps-giving   

Independent family brewer and pub company Shepherd Neame has raised £30,000 for its Charity of the Year, FareShare.

FareShare is the UK’s biggest charity tackling the environmental problem of food waste for social good. It works with the food industry to get good to eat food, that might otherwise go to waste, to a network of over 8,000 charities and community groups across the UK.

Shepherd Neame launched its partnership with FareShare in July last year, and fundraising activities by team members at the brewery and across its pub estate have included taking part in the Peak District Ultra Challenge in Dorset, a Brewery Bake Off competition, photography competitions, raffles and quizzes.

As part of its fundraising activities, the company pledged to donate 50p for every Kids’ Meal Deal sold on its new Menu for Minis, which went live in August 2023. It also continues to partner with Pennies, the digital charity box. Customers drinking and dining at selected pubs are invited to make a 25 pence donation when they spend over £25 and pay on a card via Chip & Pin. Every penny given goes to charity: 90% to FareShare and 10% to Pennies.

In addition to raising money for the charity, Shepherd Neame offered team members the opportunity to take time away from their roles to volunteer with FareShare. In April, a group of 10 team members spent the day at The Felix Project, FareShare’s London delivery partner, in Poplar, East London. They undertook tasks including preparing and packing meals, and delivering them to local charities.

It is Shepherd Neame’s fifth Charity of the Year partnership following the relaunch of its Sheps Giving charitable arm in 2018. The Sheps Giving committee co-ordinates the donation of thousands of pounds worth of beer each year, along with vouchers for our pub and hotel estate, to local groups and individuals in support of their fundraising activities.

Shepherd Neame’s Chief Executive Jonathan Neame marked the end of the partnership by visiting the team at FareShare’s warehouse in Ashford, Kent, on Wednesday (June 26) and presenting a cheque to Head of Fundraising Kirsty Ford and Warehouse Manager Emma White.

He said: “We are committed to doing the right thing for our communities, our people and our environment. When we were choosing our charity partner last summer, we wanted to work with an organisation which made a real difference to families and individuals in need, and FareShare does just that. Their ethos also fits with our ongoing efforts throughout the business to limit waste and recycle wherever possible, in line with our pledge to achieve zero waste to landfill by 2025.

“We have been pleased to see our team members and pub partners really get behind the charity during the past 12 months, organising events and offering their time to volunteer, and we are delighted with the amount raised for such a fantastic cause.” 

Kirsty Ford, Head of Fundraising at FareShare said: “We are so grateful to Shepherd Neame for their continued support for FareShare. These invaluable donations help us get good-to-eat food to the people who need it rather than going to waste. Every day, the food we redistribute to a network of over 8,000 charities in every region helps to strengthen communities. From homelessness shelters and afterschool clubs to refuges and older people’s lunch clubs, these groups are all working harder than ever to provide people with a hand up, not a handout.

“Shepherd Neame’s generous support for FareShare – both through donations and time volunteered – is instrumental in helping people affected by the cost of living crisis. This support means charities can unite more people through food to form connections and access essential support services. Thank you for helping FareShare make the food go further.” 

Find out more about Sheps Giving at www.shepherdneame.co.uk/sheps-giving   

Thatchers Cider, the Somerset based family cider maker, is pleased to announce the appointment of Eleanor Thatcher to its Board of Directors.

Eleanor is a fifth-generation cider maker who embodies the values and traditions of the 120 year old company, while also bringing a fresh perspective to cider making, sustainability and innovation.

As the next generation, her passion is cidermaking, protecting the environment and ensuring the sustainability of the business for future generations, reducing Thatchers’ carbon footprint and protecting biodiversity.

Martin Thatcher, fourth generation cider maker said: “I feel very proud to head up a family business, one that I am delighted to say is fast becoming a fifth-generation cider business. I see it as my duty to ensure when the time is right, I hand down a business that is able to thrive both now and in the future. 

“Eleanor’s appointment brings with it her unique blend of tradition and innovation. Her dedication to our family’s heritage, combined with her forward-thinking approach, makes her an invaluable addition and one I believe will keep us making the best ciders in the world for decades to come.”

Eleanor Thatcher said: “I am honoured to join the Board of Directors at Thatchers Cider. Working in a family business is very special for me; it’s about remembering and cherishing our history whilst at the same time innovating. 

“I have a passion for cider making and I care deeply about Thatchers continuing to make high quality cider that our customers love, whilst also ensuring that we protect the environment for future generations. My role now is to continue what my family has built; making great quality cider, in harmony with nature, for another 120 years.” 

Eleanor Thatcher continues: “As a family company we’ve been working closely with nature for 120-years. And as a fifth-generation cider maker, I am here thanks to the forward thinking and planning of the four generations before me. 

“Since 2010 we have planted 158,000 trees and we plan to plant another 13,000 more next year. From regenerative farming to planting wildflower meadows and working with the Bumblebee Trust to create bee friendly orchards.” 

Every one of Thatchers ciders is made using 100% renewable electricity and even the apple left over once the juice is squeezed is recycled into green energy. They’re constantly reviewing their packaging too, from being the first to replace plastic with sustainably sourced card in 2016, to using lighter cans and saving the equivalent of a whopping 5.9m cans a year. 

Ross Kemp, one of Britain’s best loved actors and documentary makers, has joined forces with HEINEKEN SmartDispense^® to showcase the benefits of their industry-leading cellar technology.

In a three-part short film series, Ross goes ‘behind bars’ to discover the secrets of our perfectly poured pints and, if you sign up to install our revolutionary dispense systems before 31st July 2024, Ross could be joining you for a shift in your bar, serving refreshingly chilled pints of beer and cider!

GigRealm, the leading platform for booking live entertainment in the hospitality sector, has announced a strategic partnership with Useyourlocal.

This collaboration aims to improve the way pubs, bars, and other venues advertise their events, driving increased footfall and customer engagement.

In an industry where enticing customers to visit in person is more challenging than ever, this partnership offers a vital solution. By integrating GigRealm’s seamless booking system with Useyourlocal’s extensive consumer reach, operators can now effortlessly promote their events directly to both new and existing customers. This initiative not only addresses a significant bottleneck for operators but also enhances the overall customer experience by providing easy access to live entertainment.

Stuart Mills, Founder of Useyourlocal, commented on the partnership, “We’re thrilled to join forces with GigRealm. Our platform has always been about connecting people with great local pubs, and live entertainment is a perfect example of what makes a night out special.

Tom Brady, CEO of GigRealm said, “This partnership not only benefits the venues by increasing their visibility but also enriches the local community by offering more engaging and memorable events that drive footfall and help boost sales.”

In an era where pubs and bars need to offer unique experiences that cannot be replicated at home, live entertainment stands out as a powerful draw. By leveraging the strengths of both platforms, GigRealm and Useyourlocal are providing operators with the tools they need to attract more visitors and increase their bottom line.