Whittaker’s Gin, a Harrogate-based business, have been presented with a Community Spirit Award for their work within the community throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. To present them with their award, local MP Julian Smith visited the distillery on 16 October.
Set up by the UK Spirits Alliance (UKSA), a coalition of spirits producers from across the UK, the Awards recognise distilleries like Whittaker’s who have gone above and beyond to help their communities during the COVID crisis.
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Whittaker’s Distillery, run by Toby and Jane Whittaker, began manufacturing hand sanitiser from their distillery, answering the call to support their communities in the fight against Covid-19. They worked with a local brewery Rooster’s to make and donate clinical-standard hand sanitiser for Harrogate & District NHS Foundation Trust, and Bradford ICU, which was crucial in protecting and supporting the community. Whittaker’s now supply hand sanitiser to local businesses at cost to protect them from the virus.
Toby and Jane Whittaker said: “We are thrilled to receive this award, and were delighted to have our local MP Julian Smith present us with it. We’re humbled that the industry has recognised our work supporting key workers and organisations during the pandemic.”
Speaking at the award presentation, Julian Smith MP said “It was great to visit Whittaker’s Gin and to congratulate Toby and Jane on their Community Spirit Award. Very well done to them both.”
A spokesperson for the UK Spirits Alliance said: “Distilleries across the UK like Whittaker’s have been supporting their local communities throughout the pandemic, and the Community Spirit Awards is a great way to recognise that. We are delighted that Julian Smith MP presented this award, and we hope that he will continue his long-standing support for the distillery and the wider industry as we approach a potential Budget”.
