Shepherd Neame announces partnership with air ambulance charity

Independent family brewer and pub company Shepherd Neame has named Air Ambulance Charity, Kent Surrey Sussex (KSS) as its Charity of the Year for 2024/25.

SS s helicopters are ying emergency rooms for millions of people who live in and travel across Kent, Surrey, East and West Sussex. When there’s a life-or-death call, they bring treatment to the scene, fast.

t is Shepherd eame s fifth Charity of the ear partnership following the relaunch of its Sheps Giving charitable arm in 2018. The Sheps Giving Committee, which oversees Shepherd Neame’s charity initiatives and donations, will be working closely with KSS to organise fundraising and promotional activities at the Faversham Brewery and across its 300-strong pub and hotel estates throughout the next 12 months.

These will include a pledge to donate 50p from every Kids’ Meal Deal sold on its Menu for Minis. Working with charity Pennies, the digital charity box, Shepherd Neame will also be inviting some customers to make a small donation, with every penny going to charity: 90 per cent to KSS and 10 per cent to Pennies.

Shepherd Neame has already got its fundraising off to a great start, with 22 team members, including Chief Executive Jonathan Neame, taking part in the recent Lake District Ultra Challenge, raising almost £8,000.

During the partnership, KSS will also be helping to organise events in Shepherd Neame pubs and hotels, including activities such as CPR awareness training, helping to create more lifesavers within communities. There will also be fun-packed quiz and bingo nights.

Jonathan Neame said “When choosing our new Charity of the Year partner for 2024/25, we wanted to work with an organisation that really makes a difference to the communities we serve, and KSS does just that.

“When I recently visited their Redhill site to meet Chief Executive David Welch and his team, I was incredibly impressed by their passion, skill and dedication. Every pound that Shepherd Neame donates to this fantastic charity will literally help their team to save more lives, so we will be doing everything we can to raise as much money for them as possible. We are really looking forward to working with KSS during the coming year.”

KSS Chief Executive David Welch said: “We are delighted and extremely proud to be partnering with Shepherd Neame, a highly successful, locally based business that shares in our values and proudly supports the communities we both serve. We’re looking forward to working closely together to raise vital awareness and funds for our lifesaving work, as well as helping to equip and train Shepherd Neame employees and customers with skills such as CPR so that together we can save even more lives.

“It costs over £51K per day to operate our lifesaving service, and as a charity we can only keep ying and saving lives thanks to the generosity of people. We are incredibly grateful to Shepherd Neame for supporting KSS.”

Find out more about Sheps Giving at www.shepherdneame.co.uk/sheps-giving