Cambridge Wine Merchants Good Works Policy
Both individually and as a company we have a strong commitment to giving something back to our community and supporting charity.
Key Points:
- We do good works each year by staging our own charity events.
- And engage with our local community via non-profit tasting events for schools, clubs, community groups etc.
- As a retail wine company we are taxed on literally everything we do: every bottle of wine, every staff hour, every penny of rent we pay. We pay a staggering amount in taxes every year, so I like to think we’ve already given something back to society!
Our master-plan for good works is this:
What we don’t do is hand over cash or bottles of wine whenever we’re asked (this would lead to bankruptcy and tears), nor do we dress up in silly outfits and shake tins at our customers.
What we do though, is what we do best: we organise stuff. We put on our own charity events using our company’s infrastructure, tap up friends, customers, professional contacts and suppliers for support and hey presto we hit the optimal outcome we and our riends cover all costs so 100% of revenue goes to the charity, and thats rare.
Which is charity perfection because:
- Each supporter just does what they do best: cheese from a cheese merchant, a case of wine from a supplier here, volunteer organiser there. Nothing onerous.
- We organise the whole shebang easy for us as were the party kings.
- Guests get an amazing time at a super price.
- We all have a laugh.
- Weve made a profit by creating a product whose value is greater than the sum of its parts. Thats good business.
So weve been doing these events for years much money raised and much fun had.
Some Examples:
- Red Cross Haiti Fundraiser dinner April 2010
A four-course formal dinner in a college dining room for 50 guests at 42.50 a head including wine. All costs covered by donations.100% of revenue goes to charity. - Red Cross Wine Fair November 2010
The biggest wine fair in the region. 400 guests at c.20 per head. All costs covered by CWM and our suppliers. 100% of revenue goes to charity.
Its not all about wine tasting events though ...
The David Hardie Project
Provides extravagant, fun events for disabled and disadvantaged children. We secure support from our University, business and social contacts around Cambridge to ensure the events are high quality and free of charge to guests.
I set up the project in memory of my sons friend David Hardie who was hit by a drink-driver and killed, aged 19. Davids twin brother Hugh and I now run the project.
We always welcome support, not in the form of cash (we pay all the costs) but rather, help in making our events as exciting as possible. If what you do would be fun at the party come along and do it for us.
If you have a great idea for an event, if you can help with providing venue, transport, or stewarding or anything else please contact us.
Our partner is Student Community Action; they round up the children.
http://www.cambridgesca.org.uk/
The last two events were all-day parties for 200 guests children, parents and carers.
Trinity College kindly donated their entire sports facility on Grange Rd as the venue.
The party featured:
- Chauffeured Punt Flotilla from Quayside to Trinity
- Dance school
- Savinos ice cream van
- Pizza Express lunch
- Shepreth Zoo showing snakes and other wonders
- School of Rock electric guitars, amps, lots of noise, from Ken Stevenss Music
- JezO's Magic and Laughter Show www.jezo.co.uk
- Glazing fun from Glazed and Amused
- Plus: sports, face-painting, sack races, treasure hunt, scaletrix, barbecue, crepes etc etc
Brett Turner
Chairman
