AG Barr (Barr Soft Drinks) – the makers of Scotland’s ‘other national drink’, IRN-BRU – has appointed end of life charity, Marie Curie, as its new Corporate Charity Partner.
The partnership, which will run for three years, will see the soft drinks manufacturer pledge a minimum of £150,000 to the charity. Barr Soft Drinks employees also commit to additional fundraising activities, spearheaded by ‘Charity Champions’ from across the business, to supplement the donation with hands-on support.
Over 800 Barr Soft Drinks employees from across eight UK sites were invited to take part in the company’s three-yearly Corporate Charity Vote. Results revealed Marie Curie as the people’s choice. The partnership will come into effect this month (Aug) with a launch plan involving the firm’s main sites and 900 employees to follow.
Roger White, CEO of AG Barr, said: “The results of our Charity Vote made clear the extent to which Marie Curie’s work resonates with our Barr Soft Drinks employees. We are proud to be supporting them in expanding their response team to be there for more families when they need it most.
“Our teams from across the UK always make a tremendous effort in getting behind our charity partner, and this will be no exception with Marie Curie. We are ready to help them make a difference when it really counts.”
Marie Curie is the country’s largest end of life charity, providing care and support to terminally ill people and their loved ones in their own homes, or at one of its nine UK hospices. The charity also provides information and support relating to dying, death and bereavement.
Georgina Bushell, Marie Curie Partnerships Manager, said: “To have been appointed as AG Barr’s charity partner is phenomenal. The three-year partnership will provide much needed funds and will help support several Marie Curie services, including its overnight nursing support and Rapid Response Nurses, which are vital for terminally ill people living in their own homes.”
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About Marie Curie
Marie Curie is the UK’s leading end of life charity. The charity provides essential nursing and hospice care for people with any terminal illness, a free support line and a wealth of information and support on all aspects of dying, death and bereavement. It is the largest charity funder of palliative and end of life care research in the UK. Marie Curie is committed to sharing its expertise to improve quality of care and ensuring that everyone has a good end of life experience. Marie Curie is calling for recognition and sustainable funding of end-of-life care and bereavement support.
About AG Barr
A.G. Barr is a branded consumer goods business focused on growth.
Its overarching purpose is to create value, with values – for shareholders, consumers, customers and for society as a whole. AG Barr does this by building great brands.
Established over 145 years ago in Scotland and now operating across the UK and with export markets throughout the world, AG Barr strives to grow its business both organically and through partnerships and acquisition.
Employing 895 people across nine UK locations, AG Barr is proud to be a responsible business that listens to its consumers, builds lasting customer relationships, takes care of its people, values diversity, gives something back to its communities and works to minimise its environmental impact.
At AG Barr’s core is the Barr Soft Drinks business unit, home to some of the UK’s most loved soft drinks brands. Barr Soft Drinks makes it its business to understand what consumers want and build great tasting and differentiated soft drinks brands that people love.
Whether it’s the iconic IRN-BRU, launched in 1901 and still going strong today, the vibrant RUBICON fruit, juice and energy drinks, or the unique range of BARR flavours, Barr Soft Drinks’ brands offer people a choice of great tasting products and bring exciting innovation to the market.
Enhancing its portfolio, AG Barr also operates a limited number of brand partnerships, complementing its own range of products with global brands SNAPPLE and BUNDABERG Brewed Drinks in the UK and beyond.
But AG Barr is not just about soft drinks – its FUNKIN business unit operates in the exciting and growing cocktail market. The FUNKIN brand’s mission is to democratise cocktails, providing innovative and unique purées, syrups and mixers as well as ready to drink cocktails for behind the bar and at home.
Over recent years AG Barr has also entered new markets such as zero proof spirits and plant-based milk, taking equity stakes in small but high potential businesses – initially with the STRYKK brand and most recently through an equity stake in MOMA Foods Limited.
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