16 October 2025
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Wholesaler Hawco and refrigeration manufacturer Marstair have raised £1,000 for Plunkett UK, a charity that helps communities across the UK to own and run pubs, shops and other businesses for the benefit of local people.
Hawco and Marstair have jointly donated £25 for every Marstair cellar cooling system they have sold together in 2025. The initiative will continue to raise further funds throughout 2026.
Plunkett UK offers free, ongoing advice to around 300 rural communities each year, assisting groups that are campaigning to save their local asset from closure. The charity has helped to establish over 200 community-owned pubs so far, each one a flourishing multi-purpose hub that provides valued services for residents including social events, training for young people and assistance for marginalised groups.
Gemma Sills, Head of Partnerships at Plunkett UK, said: “Community-owned pubs are lifelines to the people and areas they serve. They bring a wealth of benefits from helping to reduce isolation and loneliness, to creating much-needed local employment, training and volunteering opportunities.”
Simon Allan, Managing Director of Hawco, said: “We are delighted to make this contribution to the work of Plunkett. It is inspiring to hear how, with their support, local people have worked together to save their much-loved pub and through their time and effort created great community assets.”
Nuwan Chandrakumara, Commercial Director at Marstair, said: “We should all treasure our local pubs as the heart of our communities, and we hope that the money raised will help more local groups to own and run their own pub.”
- Pictured above, from left, Nuwan Chandrakumara, Commercial Director of Marstair, Mary Boullin, Head of Community Business at Plunkett UK, Terry Rogers, Manager of The Auctioneers Arms, a community-owned pub in Caverswall, Stoke-on-Trent and Adam Campbell, Contractor Sales Engineer, Hawco
