Distilleries join forces to support country’s hospitality workers in need of aid
A trio of Scottish makers have announced a donation scheme in support of hospitality workers.
Tobermory, Bunnahabhain and Deanston Distilleries, are donating 10 per cent of product sales through their online stores to The Scottish Licensed Trade Benevolent Society (The Ben) to help Scottish hospitality industry workers affected by Covid-19.
The Ben offers social, emotional, and financial support to the licensed trade and the coronavirus outbreak has seen an unprecedented demand for their services, as the circumstances of hundreds of thousands of hospitality workers change. As well as its 10 per cent pledge, the three distilleries are encouraging staff and consumers to pledge their own support to The Ben via their Justgiving page.
Fraser Thornton, managing director of Distell International, said: “The industry is facing one of the most challenging periods in its history and there are many individuals in our communities who have been severely impacted by the recent lockdown. The Ben is playing a fantastic role in providing direct assistance when its needed most, whether that’s financially, emotionally, or socially.” At a local level, employees at Deanston Distillery, in partnership with Community Action for Deanston and Deanston Support Group, have been providing soup from its cafe to vulnerable groups and children in the surrounding community.
The distilleries have also launched engagement activity online to help keep consumers entertained during lockdown – with Bunnahabhain running a live whisky masterclass on International Whisky Day last week for those enjoying a Friday dram from home.
The Ben supports people of all ages who have worked in the licensed trade for at least three years fulltime, with beneficiaries receiving annual financial assistance as well as discretionary grants for emergency situations. The team at The BEN said: “As Scotland’s hospitality and licensed trade charity, The Ben is concerned about the impact of Coronavirus on the people of our industry in terms of health and financial hardship. The Ben is here as a safety net for anyone who works in our trade and is facing extreme financial hardship as a result of the virus, and we may be in a position to offer one-off financial assistance on a case by case basis.”