A Gloucestershire brewery is raising more than £50,000 to support local charities.

Gloucester Brewery has engaged with more than 70 local charities and is looking to broaden its community engagement through its position as a leading business in the region to promote, support and engage with charitable causes in the surrounding area. The business is offering fundraising event spaces free of charge and is raising awareness for a variety of causes.

Following a well received launch event in March, Gloucester Brewery is now committed to hosting free quarterly charity community networking events, with the next being “Charities in a digital world” on July 7.

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This focus on community follows the appointment of managing director Geoff Smith at the start of March, whose priorities are to grow the business, diversify its offering and ensure that it gives back to the community in every way possible.

With plans to open up to five additional venues over the next three years, the team will be looking to offer these spaces to local charities to host fundraising events and essentially create an ecosystem of like-minded people in the Gloucestershire area — whilst also providing social hubs.

Alongside its charitable intentions, the brewery is also continuing to reduce its carbon footprint by introducing an all-electric fleet of vans, undertaking an ongoing tree planting campaign, ensuring that its growth area remains within 40 miles of Gloucester, sourcing sustainable products and hosting regular local litter picks.

This is in addition to the brewery’s Growth Hub, which now takes a number of hospitality students from the University of Gloucester and gives them real world experiences across its multiple venues.

Commenting on his time so far as Mr Smith said: “When I first started at the brewery, the first and most obvious thing that stood out to me was how firmly it was rooted in the local community. Right from the off, this became a priority for me and over the past few months we have forged some fantastic relationships with local charities and already hosted some great evening events. Of course, the success and growth of the brewery will always be my key area of focus, however, I believe it is essential for us to give back to the community that fundamentally allows us to do what we do.”

Gloucester Brewery produces a range of beer, gin and vodka, served in its waterside taproom. It also offers a diverse range of events and entertainment, regularly taking place at Warehouse 4, the onsite event space and Tank, a bar located on the Gloucester docks. The brewery is always looking to stimulate the local economy by sourcing ingredients as close to home as possible and has “optimistic plans for future growth”.

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