A community pub in Keynsham has raised almost £100,000 for charity in just one year.
Jemma Lewis with Charlotte Churchill of Operation Community Hamper | Photo provided
The New Inn, run by Jemma Lewis, has supported Operation Community Hamper and Dogs Friends, while also contributing to Craft Union Pub Company’s nationwide Make It A Million charity campaign, which topped £1.35 million for good causes for the second year in a row.
Operation Community Hamper began five years ago in a local kitchen and has grown into a vital community charity supporting families in need.
The New Inn has supported the initiative by using its skittle alley throughout the year to store donations, hosting fundraising events and acting as a local drop-off hub where people can donate items up to 12 hours a day.
The pub also regularly collects bedding, blankets and food for Dogs Friends, a charity it has supported for more than 15 years, helping to provide care for dogs in need.
Over the past year, the New Inn, alongside local volunteers and members of the community, has hosted a range of fundraising activities, including a 24-hour danceathon and ongoing bar collections.
Operation Community Hamper has been able to distribute more than £96,000 worth of hampers and gifts, all donated by local people. The pub has also donated around £3,000 to Dogs Friends.
Jemma Lewis said: “Reaching £1 million raised for charity for the second year running is an incredible achievement for Craft Union, and one we’re really proud to be part of.
“For us, it shows that the pub is about so much more than coming in for a drink – it’s about people coming together and looking out for each other.
“This achievement belongs to our team, our volunteers and the local community, I simply have the privilege of supporting them.
“The generosity and commitment they show time and time again is what makes this pub and this community so special.
“Every fundraiser, every donation and every small act of kindness adds up, and that’s what makes being a community pub so special.”
