A group of people from Big Hearts Community Trust, the charity of Heart of Midlothian Football Club, got into the Christmas spirit earlier this week at the Old Chain Pier pub in Newhaven, as part of Heineken’s Brewing Good Cheer campaign.
The campaign, now in its fourth year, celebrates the important role pubs play in communities by bringing people together for a festive event, in particular those who may be alone or unable to visit their local. Pubs who take part in the campaign host free events such as Christmas lunches, coffee mornings or even a mince pie and a pint for local charities and community groups.
A group from Big Hearts Community Trust, joined Calum McKay from the Old Chain Pier and his staff for lunch from their new festive menu, as well as Christmas music, which got people in the festive spirit.
Kirsty Roebuck, Projects Officer at Big Hearts, comments: “We are delighted to have been invited to be part of the Brewing Good Cheer, a fantastic initiative which is very close to our hearts and to our own ambitions during the festive season Calum and his team gave our group a very warm welcome and everyone thoroughly enjoyed spending some time together whilst enjoying a delicious lunch with such amazing views.”
Calum McKay who runs the Old Chain Pier said: “It’s such a great idea to engage local folks who might be having a bit of a ‘quiet one’ this year. Loneliness can affect everyone from time to time and a bit of good food and festive cheer can go a long way to lifting the spirits. We’re used to hosting a range of different events for local people and initiatives like Brewing Good Cheer are brilliant for helping to combat loneliness, particularly at Christmas, which is why we were keen to take part.”
Lawson Mountstevens, Managing Director for Star Pubs & Bars, Heineken UK said: “The Great British pub is at the heart of communities up and down the country. It’s a place where people from all walks of life can come together to meet old friends and make new ones.
“We’re delighted to be working with more of our pub licensees than ever for the fourth year of Brewing Good Cheer. In that time, we’ve worked with hundreds of pubs and brought together thousands of people, reminding and inspiring people to use their local. We want to bring people together, to show them exactly what our great pubs have to offer, not just at Christmas time but all year long.”
The Big Hearts Community Trust is a registered charity which uses the power of football to change the lives of the most vulnerable in the community. With its main focus being to support individuals and families at risk of social isolation who need help the most, it works closely with the Club, local partners and charities across Edinburgh to identify needs in order to build and deliver targeted programmes of support for these people. If you would like further information about the excellent work the charity does in the community or if you want to get involved, please the visit the Big Hearts website here.
Author of The Team for Me - 50 Years of Following Hearts. Runs Mind Generating Success, a successful therapy practice in Edinburgh. Contact me if you want rid of any unwanted habits. Twitter @Mike1874
