Craft Union, part of award-winning Stonegate Group, is launching its ‘Make it a Million’ charity initiative as part of the group’s wider longstanding ‘Love Your Local’ programme, that raised in excess of £800,000 for charities nationwide in 2023. Craft Union is proud to support the Stonegate Group charity partner the Motor Neurone Disease Association as well as many local charities.
Since inception Craft Union has placed community values at its core. Its nurturing ethos is rooted in celebrating local pubs that are the beating heart of the communities they operate in and in 2022 the company picked up the national accolade of the Best Community Pub Operator. Known for providing a ‘home from home’ environment, there are now more than 560 Craft Union pubs in the UK.
With community the cornerstone of the CU brand, charitable giving has been a central focus over the years. In 2023, some of the company’s most significant fundraising achievements included the annual December Toy Appeal that raised a remarkable £32,000 for local causes and donated almost 2,000 hampers and sacks of gifts to help create a magical Christmas for those in need. An impressive £60,000 was also donated to local grass roots activities as part of the 2023 Love your Local Craft Union initiative.
One of the most noteworthy fundraisers was spearheaded by The Black Swan in Ripon, who collectively raised more than £48,000 for a local 15-year-old Ukrainian girl who tragically lost her family through an accident.
Frazer Grimbleby, Craft Union Director commented:
“A huge thank you to the operators whose hard work culminated in the fantastic £800,000 fundraising total we reached last year. Craft Union is constantly growing and evolving, and we have ambitiously set our sights even higher, with a goal of £1,000,000 for 2024. The excitement and commitment our pubs have for reaching this goal underpins the huge support Craft Union pubs have for their communities and they are a credit to the company.”
For 2024 the Craft Union team has set its pubs the challenge of superseding its 2023 six-figure fundraising with the aim to smash the £1,000,000 mark with the Make it a Million campaign. From the official launch on Wednesday 14th February guests can nominate a community project or local charity for their local CU to support in the year ahead. Nominations will then be open to public voting, ensuring local communities are at the centre of the decision making.
More than 560 causes will be championed in the year ahead through the initiative and the community partners will be announced across the regions from Thursday 21st March onwards.
To find your local Craft Union pub to learn more about the charity nomination and voting process, please click here.
