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‘Social enterprise’ gin makes first profits pay out

Ginerosity, the ‘social enterprise gin’ from Pickering’s, has given out its first round of funding to boost prospects for disadvantaged young adults.

Ginerosity recipients Joanna Gillan and Cameron McIntosh

Through a partnership with Edinburgh-based charity Challenges Worldwide, profits from the sales of the gin will go towards sending six young adults onto volunteer programmes where they also gain business qualifications.

Ginerosity was announced in September 2016 by Pickering’s Gin founders Marcus Pickering and Matt Gammell, social enterprise entrepreneur Chris Thewlis, Dave Mullen of marketing agency Story, and drinks industry and export specialist David Moore, a gin brand which will invest profits from sales of in charitable causes, particularly those supporting under-privileged or disadvantaged young people.

The six recipients will work with social enterprises in Rwanda, Uganda, Zambia, and Ghana, with the wider aim of growing the local economy.

£2,000 in funding from Ginerosity will help the participants met the £800 costs of the three-month programme, and the £300 fees for an industry-recognised qualification from the Chartered Management Institute.

The funding announcement comes after Ginerosity picked up a listing with UK supermarket Asda.

“We launched our social enterprise gin in November,” said Mullen. “Six months on and Ginerosity is on the shelves of Asda and enabling young adults to access an inspiring volunteer programme that is making a substantial difference to poverty in the UK and in developing countries.”

Joanna Gillan, aged 21, is one of the recipients of the Ginerosity funding: “I couldn’t believe it when I received the phone call to say I had won a grant from Ginerosity. Due to this amazing partnership they have with Challenges Worldwide and their generosity, I’ve completed my fundraising, won a grant for my CMI qualification and am going on a three-month adventure to Rwanda.

“I’m really proud to be one of the first to benefit from Ginerosity, and I can’t thank them enough. I’m immensely excited about learning new skills, meeting new people and discovering new places, while at the same time doing something meaningful to fight poverty.”

To apply for the funding, participants had to record a three-minute video pitch which was reviewed by a panel earlier this year.

Alex Bruce, chairman of the panel and managing director of Adelphi Distillery, said: “These six people are the first to go through the Ginerosity funding programme, a major milestone indeed. These young adults will be the first to be funded by Ginerosity, and are due to fly out next month, work for three months and come back with important life skills that will help them grow and develop and engage.

“Thanks to the growing success of Ginerosity, and the recent Asda deal, it’s clear many more young people will benefit from Ginerosity’s kindness of spirit. It’s a cause that I and my fellow panellists are both excited and humbled to be able to support.”

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