Bristol Beer Factory (BBF) have announced that they have raised a £585,000 for community groups across the city through their Brewed To Give initiative.
Launched in May 2023, Brewed To Give pledges 2% from every brewery sale to Bristol charities and local causes. But it’s about more than just signing a cheque.
BBF donates cost-price beer, bar equipment, event space, and hands-on support, helping groups raise funds for themselves, from street festivals to school raffles. In doing so, Brewed to Give flips beer into cash, maximising the impact of its support. One hundred per cent of the funds raised are kept by the community, for the community.
“Every keg, cask, or can leaving our yard gives something back to the city,” said Sam Burrows, managing director of Bristol Beer Factory. “This campaign is about connection, fairness, and doing our bit for Bristol. We’re not just brewing beer, we’re helping brew a fairer city, and every pint counts.”
Facts and figures
- £246,000 given as cash donations, in cost-price stock, and event support.
- 1,200-plus cases of beer supplied to raffles and auctions, turning £17,000 of beer into £61,000 of funds.
- 126 fundraising events supported, generating more than £305,000 in takings.
- 21 sponsorship partners, with £160, 000 donated, unlocking £183,000 of unrestricted funds.
- Free venue hire at Studio BBF, saving local groups more than £34,000.
- 289 charities and organisations supported across the city, including:
- Talk Club received more than £125,000, which is 5% of total sales of Clear Head, the alcohol-free IPA, helping fund peer groups and mental fitness initiatives across the UK.
- St Werburghs City Farm raised more than £70,000 with BBF beer, bar builds, and volunteers to support year-round community wellbeing activities.
- The Coexist Community Kitchen raised £14,600 through events and donations to support marginalised communities through cooking programmes.
- Bristol Bisons Rugby received £16,900 in sponsorship, beer, and kit to trailblaze inclusive rugby.
- The MAZI Project received support totalling £10,000 to expand access to food for young people.
- Jam Nice CIC raised more than £2,500 at one event, which will help remove barriers in creative industries.
“Brewed to Give gave us genuine freedom to fundraise in a way that works for us, and it multiplied the benefit,” said Hadie Abido, co-founder of the Jam Jar.
“The support has gone beyond anything we imagined,” added Jamie White, of Bristol Bisons Rugby. “We all love coming to BBF. It’s inclusive, iconic, and totally community-first.”
And Hugh Rose, director of Bristol Tree Craft Project, said: “For us, it is clear that Bristol Beer Factory is driven by a desire for people to thrive, be that through providing a top-notch pint to have a chat over, supporting crucial mental health initiatives, or backing grassroots community organisations doing vital work where it is most needed. Sometimes I wonder what Bristol would look like if all businesses followed BBF’s example by putting people at the centre.”
Sam added: “Bringing people together over world-class beer is at the heart of what we do. It is where communities are built. This campaign is about using our currency, beer, to give back to our community, and support what Bristol does best — creativity, sport, inclusion, and people-powered change.”
The initiative recently won the SIBA Community Engagement Award, and with the new BS3 brewery now open, Bristol Beer Factory highlights that this is just the start!
