In light of the recent 1p duty cut, one brewery has opted to make a difference rather than pocket the difference.

Jonathan Hughes of Great Orme Brewery, North Wales, has decided that instead of seeing an increase in profits from the reduction in beer duty, that he will give the difference to the National Association of Children of Alcoholics (NACOA) in order that those affected by alcohol misuse may benefit instead – an idea which quickly drew support from from SIBA (Society of Independent Brewers).

Established for over 20 years, NACOA is a registered charity which focusses on the many social problems associated with alcoholism and their effects on the children of alcoholic parents. NACOA aim to advise and support the children of alcohol-dependent parents, the professionals who work with them, to educate the public regarding and promote research into the issues that such children face, and also to prevent these vulnerable children from following a similar path to that of their parents.

Statistically, 1 in 5 children in this country are affected by their parents use of alcohol and it is an issue that is often hidden behind closed doors and which can go largely unnoticed.

NACOA offer both a free-phone helpline and an e-mail helpline to affected children and both are presented as confidential, supportive, non-judgemental listening and advice services. The helpline can be called entirely anonymously.

Aside from supporting those children struggling with parental alcoholism, NACOA are also there for other family members and professionals such as teachers who may encounter these issues at work. The support provided by NACOA is not a quick hit either – their support is available on an ongoing basis for as long as needed. The NACOA website (see link below) also provides a wealth of information for all concerned.

Although Jonathan accepts that as a micro-brewery, the contribution from his own business will be financially modest, the potential for significant fundraising for NACOA should other brewers rise to the challenge is huge.

Our Opinion

RealAle.co.uk heartily endorses Jonathan’s efforts and would love to see other brewers get behind this idea by donating the 1p duty cut to this extremely worthwhile cause. Were the larger brewers to donate even a fraction of this to the campaign, the lives of many people suffering from misusing the products that they profit from could be improved dramatically. It would be fantastic to see some of the big players get involved, lend their weight to this campaign and to put social responsibility before (a tiny part of their) profits by following Jonathan’s example.

Links

NACOA Website – http://www.nacoa.org.uk

You can also read an interview with Jonathan Hughes of Great Orme Brewery in our Meet The Brewer section.

Great Orme Brewery Website – http://www.greatormebrewery.co.uk/

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