The COVID-19 Emergency Fund will be made available from Monday 6 April and successful applicants will be awarded a £250 grant to assist them with essentials for the weeks ahead.

The campaign is called ‘Your Round, Our Industry’ and has been funded through donations from Pernod Ricard and Concha y Toro UK as well as fundraising from Sipsmith and Whisky Auction among others.

The Fund will support industry colleagues in need in the following ways:

Ongoing Beneficiaries - The Drinks Trust continues to support more than 350 vulnerable beneficiaries and pays in excess of £30,000 a month in grants which was historically been funded by donations from businesses across the industry. 

Wellbeing Services - There has been a significant increase in individuals contacting the Trust regarding anxiety and depression concerns as well as sleep and insomnia issues. To tackle this demand, The Drinks Trust helpline is being increased in capacity and access to talking and well-being therapies will be extended.

COVID 19 Emergency Financial Support - From 6 April The Drinks Trust will be launching a financial support scheme to drinks industry individuals who have lost their employment and income. This initiative is targeted at the following two groups:

1 - Those who have been made redundant and subsequently not been reinstated, meaning they are unable to benefit from the salary grant scheme set out by the chancellor.

2 Those on zero hours contracts who will receive only small levels of financial benefit from the salary support measures outlined by the chancellor.

The window for applications for the scheme is limited between Monday 6-10 April 2020.