Guinness has announced the establishment of a €1.5 million fund providing support to communities affected by COVID-19 in Ireland.
The fund will see €1.2 million go to support bar staff, alongside a further €300,000 to vulnerable older people through a partnership with ALONE, and its Befriending service.
The news follows the Government’s call on all pubs and bars across the country to close until March 29 in a bid to stop the spread of the deadly Coronavirus. The closure order is thought to have effected around 7,000 pubs and up to 50,000 workers in Ireland.
We’re pledging our support to those communities affected by Covid-19 in Ireland, in partnership with the @LVADublinPubs, @VFIpubs and @ALONE_IRELAND. pic.twitter.com/GiwH1GWoEi
— Guinness Ireland (@GuinnessIreland) March 17, 2020
Today’s announcement is part of a wider initiative which will see Guinness and Diageo pledge in the region of €3 million globally to communities and the bar trade, with similar funds in the US and UK. This includes £1 million to support bar tenders in the free trade across Great Britain.
“We have been supporting the licensed trade in the last week through what is an unprecedented period as we all work together to keep people safe through the closure of licensed premises across the country,” says Oliver Loomes, Country Director of Diageo Ireland
“Today we are announcing an additional support of €1.5 million, including €1.2 million to bar staff, and we will be working with our partners in the trade, The Licensed Vintners Association and Vintners’ Federation of Ireland (VFI), on how we can support bar staff to maximum effect using this funding in what is a very fast-moving situation.”
VFI Chief Executive Padraig Cribben says; “With the closure of pubs around the country in a bid to protect their local communities, it reminds us of the importance of looking out for each other through these most challenging times.”
In addition to its additional funding of €300,000 for ALONE, Guinness is also asking staff members to pledge time to support the charity’s Befriending service.
“Guinness have been supporting us for over three years in a bid to address social isolation, but it’s now that we need this most. Today’s news of an additional €300,000 is going to make a significant impact. This support will help us to continue to provide vital services to older people who need additional support and are experiencing increased social isolation at this time. Since the outbreak of COVID-19 we have been receiving a huge volume of phone calls to our helpline from older people all over Ireland and delivering support seven days a week to those who need it. This will enable us to continue to deliver and expand these much-needed services,” says Sean Moynihan, CEO of ALONE.
Our COVID-19 helpline for older people is open 8am-8pm on 0818 222 024.A huge thanks for your phenomenal support and for getting in touch – we are working through all your messages and will be back to you asap!Fantastic to see the community coming together at this difficult time.
— alone_ireland (@ALONE_IRELAND) March 13, 2020
