Northern Monk, the internationally acclaimed independent brewery based in Leeds, has officially launched the Northern Monk Foundation, a dedicated charitable initiative focused on improving access to the outdoors for marginalised and under-resourced communities.
The foundation represents a rebranding and narrowing of its previous Faith in Futures programme. Since 2020, the brewery has donated £150,000 to community causes, backing more than 20 charities and grassroots groups. Relaunching under the unified Northern Monk Foundation banner, the brewery has set a new target to hit £250,000 in total donations by the end of 2028. To kickstart funding for its first official project under the new format, Northern Monk will release a special limited-edition foundation beer next week, with all proceeds going directly to the charity.
The charity’s launch follows a strong growth period for the brand, which has recently added three new venues to its portfolio: the Northern Monk Refectory in York, The Hanging Bat in Edinburgh, and a site at the Darley Street Market in Bradford. The brewery has also locked in its official event partnerships for 2026, including the Great North Run, Total Warrior, and the Three Peaks Race.
Russell Bisset, Founder of Northern Monk, said:
“The £150,000 we’ve donated to community projects to-date has helped to create meaningful change across the North and beyond. The Northern Monk Foundation allows us to build on that progress, not replace it. We know the positive impact time spent outside can have on both physical and mental wellbeing. This next chapter is about creating opportunities, supporting the organisations already doing incredible work in this space, and playing our part in improving access to the outdoors.”
