Member Article

Salford Distillery prepares for hospitality sector to re-open with charity donation

Salford’s SIS4ERS DISTILLERY have raised more than £600 for So Let’s Talk through the sales of its limited edition ‘Home at 10’ gin.

Launched in October 2020, ‘Home at 10’ was created to encourage people to keep to the national 10pm curfew – with £2 of every bottle sold going to the charity.

The peach-flavoured gin was designed to soften the blow of drinking at home following the closure of the pub, and the money raised has supported people working in the hospitality sector surviving the pandemic.

So Let’s Talk is a mental health non-profit organisation aimed at supporting people working in the hospitality sector. Founded in Manchester, it now supports businesses and individuals across the UK.

Lucy McAvoy, Sales and Marketing Director SIS4ERS DISTILLERY, said: “So Let’s Talk has been a huge support to workers in the hospitality sector struggling in the pandemic, it has been 12 months of uncertainty and the charity’s resource has been invaluable.”

The money donated from ‘Home at 10’ to So Let’s Talk will be used to fund the build of its lifestyle web page to provide a place of solace for a lot of people in the trade.

Founder of So Let’s Talk, Patrick Howley, said: “During the lockdowns we have run sessions on mental, physical and financial health to over 750 hospitality professionals. We have used funding to launch our lifestyle page, that gives hospitality professionals a space to share experiences and knowledge while earning money in the process.”

As the pandemic rumbles on, Patrick worries it will get tougher before it gets better. He added: “Our concerns lie with the health of the people working in this amazing industry. Going from sitting on your couch with a lack of purpose to being in the middle of a busy shift with a lot of over excited guests is a scary thought for any hospitality professional.

“We hope that the businesses owners, the government and the people in the hospitality industry make a conscious effort to prioritise ‘health’ over everything.”

SIS4ERS DISTILLERY – who closed their doors in March due last year due to restrictions – plan to open for their first gin tours in May.

Lucy McAvoy said: “We were relieved to see the Government’s road map as it allows us to finally make plans and projections for our business. We can’t wait to get our gins back on the menu in bars and pubs in April, and to open our own doors in May for tastings and tours.

“Last year we launched our ‘gin in a tin’ range, and so we look forward to exploring opportunities to expand this product into gig and theatre venues. With new products in the pipeline, it is great to feel we have next steps in place to support our business to grow.

Speaking of the uncertainty, Lucy added: “We do of course have to be cautious and we still have to see our business through the next couple of months. We ask people please continue to support our webshop – take our gins to your friends garden gathering or on a picnic!”

Born and bred in the heart of Salford, ‘McAvoy sisters’ Kerry Collins, Hayley Robinson, Kate Haslam, and Lucy McAvoy first launched SIS4ERS DISTILLERY in 2017.

In February SIS4ERS DISTILLERY won silver in the World Gin Awards 2021 for its Cherry gin.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Emma Elizabeth Lowe .