Champagne Academy launches emergency financial fund for The Drinks Trust

By Jo Gilbert

Published: 28 May, 2020

The Champagne Academy has announced the launch of a range of fundraising initiatives to help support The Drinks Trust and its beneficiaries through these turbulent times.

The fundraising will take the form of a series of auctions and raffles over the coming months, in tandem with The Champagne Academy’s 16 Grand Marque Houses. All money raised will enable the work of The Drinks Trust, which has launched a number of its own initiatives to support vulnerable members of the trade through Covid-19, including a roster of new wellbeing services.

Since the beginning of lockdown, The Drinks Trust has been working hard to support some of the most vulnerable people in the drinks industry, including 350 existing beneficiaries – a significant proportion of which are retired drinks industry staff and among the most at-risk groups from Covid-19.

The Drinks Trust reports that demand for its services has “increased significantly” since the beginning of March. Several thousands of people have now applied to the charity’s hardship fund, which is currently in the process of being administered.

The extra funds from The Champagne Academy will continue to support these people.

It will also help to provide more wellbeing services as the increase in demand for the helpline and talking therapies grow.

“We are grateful to The Champagne Academy for showing such incredible commitment to The Drinks Trust over the next three years and look forward to working with them,” said Ross Carter, CEO of The Drinks Trust.

“This current initiative is exceptionally innovative and given the fantastic prizes kindly donated by all the houses, I am sure many people within the drinks industry will be keen to participate.”

The Champagne Academy was established in 1956 to recognise the UK and Ireland as key markets and to educate younger members of the trade about the Grande Marques houses.

Places on its annual course are highly sought-after.

The Academy is currently partnering with The Drinks Trust as part of a three year commitment, looking to support the latter's work in the UK and Ireland.

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