Gin venture's first round of profits to help the poor

A social enterprise gin based in Edinburgh that launched in November has given away its first funding from sales proceeds to help disadvantaged young adults help tackle poverty in developing countries.

An example of charity Challenges Worldwide's work, seen here with staff at a bakery in Uganda: Picture: Contributed

Ginerosity, whose team includes Pickering’s Gin co-founders Marcus Pickering and Matt Gammell, said the sum will go towards helping six young people access a “life-changing” volunteer programme.

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The organisation, which says it is the first of its kind globally, has partnered with Challenges Worldwide, a charity also based in Edinburgh that recruits volunteers to work with social enterprises in Rwanda, Uganda, Zambia and Ghana, to facilitate social investment funding and boost growth of the local economy.

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The gin is to be stocked on the shelves of Asda. Ginerosity director Dave Mullen said both the charity funding news and supermarket listing were “phenomenal” achievements for such a young brand.

Mullen added: “We launched our social enterprise gin in November. Six months on and Ginerosity is on the shelves of Asda and enabling young adults to access an inspiring volunteer programme that is making a substantial difference to poverty in the UK and in developing countries.”

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