Built on Trust: the work of our trade charity

By Harpers Editorial team

Published: 04 March, 2024

In the first of a new quarterly column supporting The Drinks Trust, CEO Ross Carter outlines the important work the body does in ‘Assisting, Restoring and Developing’ the drinks and hospitality workforce.

First of all, a word of thanks to the team at Harpers. They have generously provided The Drinks Trust with the opportunity for us to reach out to the readers every few months; to update you on what the charity has been working on, and the impact made possible thanks to the generosity of many of the businesses featured in this drinks industry publishing institution.

It’s worth mentioning here that The Drinks Trust was established in 1886; a result of an article published in this magazine. It’s a privilege to share such a long industry heritage with Harpers.

In this first article, we wanted to give you an overview of our work, an introduction if you will, to what the Trust is and does. In future articles, we will look to give you more in-the-moment updates, and of course, encourage all of those in this industry we are so passionate about, to both support and promote our industry charity. And if you, a family member or a colleague require any assistance from the Trust, we are always here to help.

The Drinks Trust is the charity dedicated to the drinks and hospitality workforce. It strives to empower our industry people through services designed to ‘Assist’ financially, ‘Restore’ well-being, and ‘Develop’ skills, and to do so with compassion and respect. It seeks to create an equitable industry where opportunities to thrive are open to all. Essentially, if you work, have worked, or if you aspire to a career in the drinks and wet-led hospitality industry, then the Trust can help you.

Our impact in 2023

In 2023 The Drinks Trust delivered over 5,400 beneficiary acts across financial, well-being and training, and spent £720,000 in delivering these services. Over 70% of the people who sought our help in 2023 were currently in work.

Assist – financial support

Since 1886, the mainstay of the work the charity delivers has been in easing financial hardship. Our Assist services offer beneficiaries support grants, food vouchers, financial advice and more. Given the current economic conditions in the UK, it will come as no surprise that in 2023, applications for financial hardship support increased nearly threefold. During that period, the Drinks Trust supported 2,540 industry colleagues with financial support, which, excluding the pandemic year in 2020, is the highest level of financial support delivered in the organisation’s history.

Most of the financial support (Assist services) given to our industry beneficiaries helped cover rental or council tax arrears.

Restore – well-being services

The Trust’s work isn’t limited to providing the industry with financial support. Our well-being service, Restore, supported over 1,700 people in 2023.

The Restore 24/7 support line has proven to be invaluable for numerous industry colleagues. Last year alone the line received 1,445 calls, representing an average of 120 calls a month from individuals seeking assistance and support.

In addition to the helpline, the Drinks Trust spent £19,000 providing free counselling and therapy sessions, as well as Mindful Drinking support and Sleep and Insomnia guidance. The total expenditure on Restore well-being services in 2023 was £45,000.

Another highlight from last year was the launch of the Restore Business Advisory Programme (BAP). The BAP was designed to meet businesses’ challenges in designing and executing a proactive well-being strategy, with the aim of creating a healthy and productive working environment. The BAP was a service requested by industry businesses and has been designed by the trade, for the trade. The content and training offered within the BAP tackle the specific needs of our workforce.

Businesses interested in joining the BAP are encouraged to do so. Together, this forum of like-minded businesses is dedicated to sharing learning and making the industry a healthier, more content and more productive for our employees.

Develop – education and training

Last but not least, launched in 2022 with the objective of offering training support to industry individuals and newcomers, Develop aims to help individuals begin and sustain a long-term career in the drinks and hospitality industries.

The service provides individuals with resources, bursaries and access to fully funded training with internationally recognised industry educators. In doing so, the charity supports those seeking to join or progress within our trade. Develop also looks to support the industry with new and better-trained staff and help grow the sector to the benefit of all.

The programme, supported by a wealth of sponsors and stakeholders, has grown from strength to strength and last year 840 individuals received education or training through Develop. Since the programme’s launch in March 2022, over 200 individuals have been placed in employment through the referral programme.

Our thanks

The accomplishments of The Drinks Trust would not have been possible without the backing of numerous industry businesses, organisations and individuals. Annual contributions from our business partners and fundraising activations and events are how funds are raised and the charity’s services are delivered.

With demand at an all-time high, more funding is needed. If your business would like to be part of delivering the support, well-being services and training so vital to our workforce, and if corporate social responsibility is part of your ongoing evolution, please get in touch.

To find out more about The Drinks Trust please visit: drinkstrust.org.uk

If you’re need of our assistance, please call our 24/7, confidential and free of charge support line on: 0800 9154610.

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