The Royal Voluntary Service and beer-for-good organisation, The Good Beer Co is inviting publicans to get involved in a ‘Cheers for Volunteers’, as part of the national Thank You Day this Sunday (4th July), www.thankyouday.org
The Good Beer Co is recruiting pubs and breweries to be part of the national “Cheers For Volunteers” on Thank You Day, which has been organised by the Together Coalition to support the Royal Voluntary Service, who have done so much to get millions of Britons mobilised to help keep the country going during the pandemic.
Pubs and breweries will ring a bell to announce the 5pm “‘Cheers For Volunteers” moment and raise a glass with their customers. The initiative is being supported by organisations including the British Beer and Pub Association, the Society of Independent Breweries, Punch Pubs, Adnams and Toast Ale. Over 3,000 pubs and breweries have already pledged to take part.
The “Cheers for Volunteers” will be led for the Royal Voluntary Service by campaign ambassador Ross Kemp, who will be joining volunteers and locals at his local pub to raise a glass to the millions of people who have helped each other through the last 18 months.
Ross Kemp said: “We’ve all been through a grim 18-months but our community spirit is one of the things that has kept us going. I’m going to raise a glass to everyone who has helped our communities get this far.”
Thousands of pubs will ‘Cheers’ Volunteers on Thank You Day
Around 16 million Brits are planning to take part in the country’s first ever national Thank You Day in their communities according to a new poll by ICM. This would make the day the biggest mass participation event since the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in 2012.
Members of the public are being encouraged to mark the days in numerous different ways from picnics to BBQs, outdoor parties to drinks at their local pub or brewery, while of course sticking to Covid-19 guidelines.
The idea of Thank You Day came from a grassroots campaign to hold the country’s biggest ever thank you party in our local communities as a way of thanking each other and of building on the community spirit that so many felt during lock down.
Celebrity support for Thank You Day
From the idea being launched just a month ago the campaign has won huge support from hundreds of organisations ranging from the NHS to the Scouts and from high profile individuals including Gary Lineker, Michael Sheen, Dame Judi Dench, Raheem Sterling and many more.
Catherine Johnstone CBE, chief executive at Royal Voluntary Service said: “The acts of kindness and determination we have seen from volunteers during the pandemic have been nothing short of amazing. The Cheers for Volunteers on Thank You Day is a fantastic way to celebrate the volunteer effort and thank them for all they have done. We are especially grateful for the support from pubs and breweries and are excited to see the ways the industry helps us to say thank you on the 4th July. We will be listening out for the bells at 5pm!”
Raise a glass to selfless volunteers
James Grugeon, founder of The Good Beer Co, said: “Pubs and breweries are cornerstones of our communities, bringing people together every day of the week, every week of the year. And, particularly with the news of restrictions extending for another four weeks, not many this year have had it tougher. Thank You Day and ‘Cheers for Volunteers’ is inviting customers around the UK to get down to their local and raise a glass to say thank you to the selfless people who have given their time and expertise to help us through the year, and perhaps donate a few quid to the RVS too.”
Industry support
Emma McClarkin, CEO of the British Beer and Pub Association, said: “We are delighted to lend our support to ‘Cheers for Volunteers’ and really pleased to see pubs across Britain getting behind a toast to hard working volunteers in their local communities.”
Fergus Fitzgerald, head brewer at Adnams said: “This is a really great way to thank volunteers for everything they have done and are still doing to support our communities through the COVID-19 pandemic. We’re proud to support ‘Cheers for Volunteers’ and I’m looking forward to raising a glass at one of our pubs on National Thank You Day.”
Get involved now!
Pubs and breweries are being encouraged to sign up and download a special Thank You Day Pub Pack.
Publicans can sign up here: www.thegoodbeerco.co.uk/cheersforvolunteers
They can download a Thank You Day Pub Pack at thankyouday.org.uk/cheers