Here’s to you Gabri Ale

Pictured at the launch in May of the fundraising brew were, from left, Jesse Foley (brewer) Tom Lane (Property Brokers), Jen Mildenhall (coordinator and executive committee Gisborne Tairāwhiti Farming Recovery Fund) and Fleur Gardiner (executive committee Gisborne Tairāwhiti Farming Recovery Fund). Picture by Liam Clayton

Brew sells out and raises $20,000 for  farming recovery fund

When Gisborne’s Sunshine Brewery released a first of its kind charity fundraising beer in May, they didn’t expect the sell-out response.

Two hundred cases of 440ml cans of Cyclone Gabri Ale, a Red India Pale Ale (IPA), were distributed to their usual retail outlets throughout the North Island, along with kegged tap beer available at several bars in Wellington, Auckland and of course, the Taproom at the Sunshine Brewery in Awapuni Road.

The ale sold out within a month of distribution and raised a noteworthy $20,000.  All proceeds were donated to the Gisborne Tairāwhiti Farming Recovery Fund (GTFRF), with a further $660 donated from a Givealittle page.

“There was huge support locally and nationally, with both retail outlets and bars supporting the fundraiser,” Sunshine Brewery business manager Sarah Punnett said.

“We had individuals from the South Island ordering cases of cans online as well. We are so grateful to our suppliers and sponsors for getting behind this fundraiser to enable us to produce this beer at a near zero cost.”

The suppliers and sponsors were NZ Hops, Gladfield Malt, Lallemand Brewing, Label & Litho and Property Brokers Gisborne Rural.

The GTFRF was set up in response to Cyclone Gabrielle, under the umbrella of the Mātai Medical Research Institute Charitable Trust, to support local farmers adversely affected by Cyclone Gabrielle.

“We are incredibly grateful to all the team at Sunshine Brewery for the ongoing support they have shown to our farming community in Tairāwhiti,” said Jen Mildenhall, an agribusiness associate at BDO. She is also treasurer of Farming Women Tairāwhiti, and executive committee member and overall coordinator of GTFRF.

“In order to distribute the funds raised, we have utilised the Trust Tairāwhiti survey as a starting point to choose recipients, with the underlying principle of assisting those farmers with the highest needs.”

Trust Tairāwhiti set up the survey following a pastoral farming meeting held after Cyclone Gabrielle to identify and assess the needs of local farmers in the face of adversity.