23 November 2022

Greene King fundraising for Macmillan Cancer Support feted at Westminster event

PubAid and All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group recognise outstanding achievement

PubAid and the All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group (APPBG) have celebrated Greene King's outstanding achievement in raising more than £13 million for Macmillan Cancer Support, presenting the brewer and pub operator with a trophy at a special reception in the House of Commons.

Greene King has raised the impressive sum over the past decade, through a range of activities in pubs, fromhosting cake sales, raffles, quizzes, family fun days and more, as well as company-wide fundraisers such as its Macmillan May initiative.

The Rt Hon Alun Cairns MP, Chairman of the APPBG, said: "It is a real pleasure to join PubAid and my parliamentary colleagues in the APPBG in congratulating Greene King for this laudable achievement. Their efforts will have helped Macmillan nurses and other professionals to provide much-needed support to people living with cancer across the country.

"Everyone involved in this fantastic team effort should be very proud of what they have achieved."

PubAid President Keith Bott said: "It's hard to think of a better showcase for how pubs can be a force for good in their communities, and society more broadly. Every pound raised in a Greene King pub is a testament to the determination of its licensees, managers, team members and customers to make a difference to this worthy cause.

"It's doubly impressive that Greene King refused to let the lockdowns of the last few years derail their mission to support Macmillan; in fact they managed to raise an amazing £1.2 million in September and October 2021 alone. Their dedication is an inspiration to the thousands of other pubs in the UK who together raise more than £100m every year for charities and worthy causes."

Kevin Hollinrake, Minister for Enterprise, Markets and Small Business, including the hospitality sector, presented the trophy to Greene King CEO Nick Mackenzie, who said:"The real reward for our fundraising comes from knowing that our efforts are providing support for people with cancer, when they need it most, and I'd like to thank our team members and customers for their unwavering energy in raising money for Macmillan. We are grateful for this recognition from our peers in the pub industry and our thanks to PubAid and the Beer Group for this award. Greene King is proud to be a patron of PubAid, which has done much to promote a positive narrative around pubs over recent years."

PubAid celebrates pubs as a force for good in their communities, promoting not only their fundraising work, but also support for grassroots sports, estimated to be worth £40m every year. Working with the APPBG and with sponsorship from Matthew Clark, PubAid runs an annual Community Pub Hero Awards scheme, recognising those pubs who go the extra mile to support their local communities and charities. The 2022 Awards have just closed, attracting close to 200 entries including 60+ nominations from MPs.

Caption to attached image: Lynda Thomas, CEO, Macmillan Cancer Support; Kevin Hollinrake, Minister for Enterprise, Markets and Small Business; Nick Mackenzie, CEO, Greene King and Keith Bott, President of PubAid

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Notes to editors:

PubAidis a working party created in 2009 to promote UK pubs as a force for good in their communities, sharing the message that they raise over £100m per year for charities and contribute £40 million to grassroots sport. PubAid runs the annual World's Biggest Pub Quiz, which has raised £750,000 since its launch in 2016, the Community Pub Hero Awards and, launched in early 2022, the Grassroots Sports Champions, in association with Sky, to recognise pubs' support for local sports.

The PubAid steering group is led by co-founder Des O'Flanagan and includes well-known figures from the pub world, who lend their time and other resources to help spread the positive messages about pubs' role at the heart of their communities.

The All-Party Parliamentary Beer Groupwas set up in 1993 and has a membership of over 350 MPs and Peers. The Beer Group's objectives are to broaden recognition of the enormous contribution of brewing and pubs to the UK economy from grain to glass - and to celebrate the unique role that beer and pubs play in our society

Greene King

Greene King was founded in 1799 and is headquartered in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk. It currently employs around 39,000 people across its five divisions: Local Pubs; Destination Food Brands; Premium, Urban and Venture Brands; Pub Partners; and Brewing & Brands. 

It operates c.2,600 pubs, restaurants and hotels across England, Wales and Scotland, of which c.1,600 are retail pubs, restaurants and hotels in the Locals, Destination and Premium, Urban and Venture divisions, and c.1,000 are tenanted and leased pubs in its Pub Partners division. Its leading retail brands and formats include Hungry Horse, Farmhouse Inns and Chef & Brewer. 

The Brewing & Brands division covers the brewing sides of the business, with quality ale brands brewed at the Greene King brewery in Bury St Edmunds and the Belhaven Brewery in Dunbar. The industry-leading portfolio includes Greene King IPA, Old Speckled Hen, Abbot Ale, Ice Breaker and Belhaven Best

Macmillanhelps people living with cancer with every aspect of their lives, from the moment they're diagnosed, through to treatment and beyond. All the funds raised go towards helping Macmillan nurses and professionals provide vital physical, financial and emotional support for people living with cancer across the UK. 

For further information: 

For PubAid: Ros Shiel atros@shielporter.com/ 07841 694137

For APPBG: Paul Hegarty at paul@beergroup.co.uk or 07808 096250