GREENE KING’S FUNDRAISING FOR MACMILLAN CANCER SUPPORT CRASHES THROUGH THE £10 MILLION BARRIER

Greene King, the country’s leading pub company and brewer, has smashed its fundraising record, catapulting its charity partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support to over £10 million raised in under 10 years.

Phenomenal efforts during the 2021 Macmillan fundraising campaign during September and October raised £1.2 million alone. It brings the grand total raised, since Greene King’s partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support began in 2012, to over £10 million.

This outstanding landmark has been reached despite the huge impact the pandemic has had on pubs’ trading opportunities. The traditional Macmillan May events were postponed to the autumn when pubs were open and the results have been incredible.

Charity events were held throughout the entire Greene King business from the brewery and offices to all pubs and beer gardens over the 10 week campaign. Highlights included the launch of the first Brave the Shave Live where 100 pubs hosted a public head shaving event. There was the ever-popular World’s Biggest Coffee Morning, Rock ‘n’ Roll Bingo nights, Tuk Tuk adventures across the country and Connie the Collection Tin mascot touring Greene King’s pubs. Pubs hosted fun days, festivals, raffles and party nights, and Greene King team members endured all sorts, from slime buckets and baked bean baths to charity runs, walks and cycle events. Featured desserts included a donation to Macmillan across many of Greene King’s pubs and restaurants.

Nick Mackenzie, CEO at Greene King, said: “The support of Greene King team members and generosity of customers has been truly inspiring and quite frankly awesome. The last 18 months have been so difficult for so many but still they have dug deep and shown unrelenting support and recognition for the work Macmillan does by going the extra mile and raising these vital funds to help people living with cancer. Despite the recent challenges, we like to put the fun into fundraising and we’re so proud of the results! Over £10 million makes such a difference, enabling Macmillan to provide their brilliant support to many.”

Lynda Thomas, CEO at Macmillan Cancer Support, said: ‘A huge thank you and congratulations to all of Greene King’s staff and customers on reaching this amazing milestone.” ‘We are so grateful for the support and the passion with which Greene King fundraise. At Macmillan we rely almost entirely on donations from the public and partners alike. Without this generosity, we simply wouldn’t be able to fund the Macmillan nurses and professionals that support people with cancer across the UK when they need it the most. Thank you’

Greene King is one of the country’s leading pub retailers and brewers, running over 2,700 pubs, restaurants and hotels in towns, villages and city-centre high streets across England, Wales and Scotland. With a rich heritage of over 200 years, brewing award-winning beers and operate managed, tenanted, leased and franchised pubs from their headquarters in Bury St. Edmunds.