A Newcastle brewery that partnered with beer makers in Kyiv has been hailed for raising thousands of pounds to send urgent medical aid to Ukraine.
Full Circle Brew Co, based at Hoults Yard in Byker, has donated more than £4,000 to a team of NHS medics sending critical supplies to the war-torn nation. After starting work on a collaboration with Kyiv-based brewery Varvar last year to create a special Ukrainian Golden Ale, the Russian invasion in February prompted the team at Full Circle to devote themselves to raising awareness about the conflict and raising money to help the Ukrainian people.
The ale has now completely sold out and, alongside the proceeds from fundraisers including raffles and tasting events, has enabled the brewery to make a £4,200 donation to Medical Aid Ukraine North East, an organisation set up by a group of NHS workers to procure medical equipment for Ukraine's field hospitals. Full Circle’s donation has been used to order desperately-needed trauma Individual First Aid Kits (IFAKs) containing life-saving equipment.
Read More: £130m push for new jobs and homes as leaders bid to kickstart Northumberland Line regeneration boost
Medical Aid Ukraine North East co-lead Nicola Elliot said: “These have been the most requested item since the start of the war, and something up until now we have been unable to provide. Due to the fundraising we were able to obtain a better price, and FCB’s donation enabled us to purchase 33 IFAKs which have already arrived in our Hoults Yard storage facility, for urgent shipment to the front lines.
“Although the media is no longer covering the Ukraine war with such intensity, unfortunately the fighting has not reduced, and if anything is worse now than ever. In recent weeks our physical and financial donations had started to slow, so the donation from FCB meant even more to us.
“As an organisation we have now moved over 110 tonnes of medical aid to Ukraine, as well as 10 ambulances. None of this would have been possible without the incredible and generous donations from NHS Trusts, private companies and individuals.”
City councillor Doreen Huddart has also praised the brewery’s efforts and said she hoped that, if a second batch of the Ukrainian Golden Ale is brewed, it could be sold from the bars at Newcastle Civic Centre when events are being held.
Having recently welcoming Nicola and fellow volunteer Tetiana Bonar to the brewery talk about their humanitarian work, Full Circle had wanted to ensure their donation would make an “immediate impact” to those on the frontlines of the conflict. A spokesperson for the brewery said: "Toward the end of 2021, Varvar, a Kyiv based brewery, contacted Full Circle about doing a collaboration beer: a Ukrainian Golden Ale, which is a style of beer that the brewery and country were trying to get fully recognised.
"We were excited because it would be our first in-person collaboration with a non-UK brewery, and our two members with Ukrainian heritage, Graeme and Josh, were looking forward to visiting Ukraine for the first time to attend the return collaboration in June. The Russian invasion, however, flipped the collaboration on its head and was fully focused on raising awareness and lending a hand to the people of Ukraine.
"We were joined by Varvar’s Martin Dawson, who, as a UK National, was able to escape Ukraine soon after the invasion started. While sitting down for pints he explained the first few nights of the invasion, the unease that gripped the people, and his eventual escape across the border into Poland.
"Since the collaboration's release, we have successfully sold all the beer and implemented various initiatives, including special mixed packs, tasting events and quiz night raffles which have helped us raise £4,200 to assist Ukrainians during this extremely difficult time."
Read More:
- Nestlé under fire for not halting production at Newcastle factory during Queen's funeral
- School taxis for special needs pupils in Newcastle cancelled as lack of drivers causes 'extreme pressure'
- Climate change row as Newcastle City Council accused of being 'too slow' in race to reach net zero by 2030
- Newcastle warm rooms plan promised in 'a couple of weeks' as council faces pressure over cost of living
- Fitness guru's anger as he claims Tyne Tunnel traffic backlogs are costing his gym 'thousands of pounds'
