BRISTOL, TOGETHER WE ARE STRONGER

When you’ve got a job to do, it is so tempting to tuck your head down, dial down the noise and plough on through. Stay in your lane vibes. That’s exactly how we felt when we launched BREWED TO GIVE back in May 2023. Post-pandemic, we could see our communities struggling with rising living costs, increased social isolation and reduced public services and those with the power were not coming to help. Brewed to Give was our way of giving back to our city – donating 2% of every brewery sale - fairly, honestly and easily. But what started as an individual response, quickly proved to be a community solution with city-wide appeal.

We knew that signing a cheque for a £100k a year was not going to solve Bristol’s challenges. But it also felt a bit soulless. Very un-BBF. Instead, we sat down over a pint (mine was a Laser Juice) and developed the framework for an asset-based approach to business giving. By donating a mix of cash, space and beer (at a cost-price rate) we could maximise the value of our support, having a greater impact for our community at a grassroot level. 2% with the power to transform lives. But to make this work, we needed collaboration. We would need to work closely with charities and good causes, supporting them flip our donated beer into cash. And when they were unable to do this themselves, we would have to find another business or partners who could run an event and donate the cash to them. Quite simply, together we are stronger.

COLLABORATION IN ACTION: 2025 HIGHLIGHTS

•  THE PLOUGH, EASTON - Community is at the heart of The Plough, from pouring local pints and hosting inclusive sports teams to delivering winter care packages. In the run-up to Christmas, they built and delivered 850 fruit and veg boxes (with a few cheeky treats) for families struggling with rising food costs. No eligibility. No judgement. Just support. BBF jumped at the chance to support by donating five kegs of INFINITY, meaning every £ from the 425 pints sold went towards the £7,000 veg box cost.

•  DOUBLING £8.5K TO FIGHT FOOD INEQUALITY – In December, we partnered with the Big Give Campaign, doubling every public donation made to Square Food Foundation and Redcatch Community Garden. With our pledge in place, both charities smashed their targets. The result?
• 1,650 recipe kits for families facing food insecurity in South Bristol
• £35k closer towards building Redcatch’ new accessible community café

•  CARNIVAL FOR CHARITY - WILLWAY YARD is a community of start-up businesses and freelance creatives based out of 76 shipping containers in Bedminster. To celebrate their first year on site, they held two CONTAINER CARNIVALs and we teamed up to provide the bar. This meant that 100% of every beer sold was donated to two local charities: WINDMILL HILL CITY FARM and HELP BRISTOLS HOMELESS.
“Together we raised £2800 for charity. Huge love to Bristol Beer Factory for supplying the Bar and donating all the beers. Their Brewed to Give project is an amazing thing for Bristol and our city is lucky to have it.” Willway Yard Team

•  BREWED TO GIVE AT REDCATCH PARK – on 21st June 2025, Redcatch Park hosted the Big Picnic – a free, one day celebration designed to put the unity in community. Organised by Friends of Redcatch Park, the event was a huge success, bringing more than 2,000 people together, contributing £50,000 to the local economy and raising £66,775 for FORP. As one of the organisers said, “We can't thank you enough and we never stop braying on about BBF's community commitment. We are defo committed fangirls (even though I don't drink beer - but let me know when you launch beer cocktails and I'm in)!”

Since we launched Brewed to Give we have raised over £640,000 for local charities and good causes. Every penny raised has been kept by the community, for the community. 

Make your mark by heading to your local this January and getting a BBF beer in.  

World-class beer. Made in Bristol. Brewed to Give.