St Austell Brewery has raised more than £9,000 to fund lifesaving defibrillators at its pubs across the South West.
More than 80 employees of the Cornish brewery participated in a sponsored 12-mile walk last weekend, on May 11, along the Camel Trail from Bodmin to Padstow.
Participants included employees, their families, friends, and even pets who ended their journey at Shipwrights.
The walk aimed to raise funds for the Heart of the Community campaign, a company initiative to install defibrillators at 55 of the brewery's pubs in southwestern regions with significant community needs.
The walk concluded with the unveiling of another defibrillator at the Old Custom House, a ceremony officiated by the mayor of Padstow.
Participating patrons and the public contributed, fuelling the over £9,000 in funds raised.
Kevin Georgel, chief executive of St Austell Brewery, said: "The event had a fantastic turnout and there was a wonderful atmosphere.
"I'm so proud of the effort our teams - and their friends and family who joined us for the walk - have put in to backing this important campaign.
"We have already installed 24 defibrillators for our pub’s local communities, two of which have already saved lives.
"We want to keep it up and reach our target of 55 installations."
Piers Thompson, chair of St Austell Brewery Charitable Trust, also expressed his satisfaction with the event.
He said: "I was blown away with how many people came along on a sunny Saturday to participate in a sponsored walk for the charitable trust.
"It’s really admirable and all for such a vital cause.
"Each and every one of the team who joined us and fundraised has directly contributed to better equipping our local communities with much needed lifesaving equipment."
Another charitable walk is planned for later in the year in Bath for staff at St Austell Brewery's second brewery in Warmley.
The company has also encouraged its pub customers to contribute to fundraising efforts through the ordering of fish and chips—a portion of sales will be donated to the campaign—or by scanning QR codes on posters for direct donations, with each donation being matched by the brewery.
St Austell Brewery has collaborated with the Ronnie Richards Memorial Charity to purchase the equipment.
The charity was formed by Paul and Liz Williams in remembrance of Liz's brother Ronnie, who tragically lost his life to a sudden cardiac arrest while playing football.
More information about the campaign can be found on St Austell Brewery's website.
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