Senior leaders from Craft Union Pub Company, part of the UK’s largest pub company Stonegate Group, rolled up their sleeves and stepped behind the bar at The British Oak in Tingley recently, raising £1,350 for leading suicide prevention charity Campaign Against Living Miserably.
In a ‘pub takeover’, one Craft Union Operations Director and six Regional Managers took on everything from pouring pints to DJing, running pool and darts competitions, and hosting raffles, leaving the regular pub team to enjoy the atmosphere from the other side of the bar.
The event coincided with a huge day of football, including a busy Liverpool match that helped draw in a full house, with the pub packed throughout the day. A standout moment saw a shirt raffle alone raise more than £200, with the winner drawn at full-time.
Stonegate Group and Craft Union’s charity partner is CALM, and the business has already raised more than £50,000 in just three months through fundraising efforts across its pubs. Initiatives like the British Oak takeover continue to drive both donations and awareness at a local level.
With suicide remaining the biggest killer of men under 50 in the UK, and one in four people experiencing suicidal thoughts in their lifetime, the funds raised will directly support CALM’s frontline services, digital tools and national campaigns.
Jason Herringshaw, Craft Union Regional Manager, said: “Getting behind the bar and being part of the action alongside our teams and customers was a brilliant experience. The pub was absolutely packed, the atmosphere was incredible, and it really showed what our Tingley pub is all about.”
“We’re incredibly proud to support CALM, a charity doing vital, life-saving work. To raise £1,350 in a single day through the support of our guests and team is a fantastic achievement, and it’s events like this that help us keep building momentum and raising awareness where it matters most.”