Drinks charity launches silent auction at Thanksgiving

The Benevolent is calling for ‘money can’t buy’ donations from the drinks trade to put towards its first silent online auction, which will run during Thanksgiving.

David Cox, chief executive of The Benevolent

The drinks trade charity has announced it will host the ‘Thanks for Giving’ Auction, the first it has run, via specialist site, 32auctions.com to coincide with the US holiday. The silent auction will open on Thanksgiving on 24 November and run until 1 December.

“To fully embrace the spirit of Thanksgiving celebrations and the upcoming Christmas season, we are actively encouraging our supporters to give an item to their trade charity to be included in the auction’s lots,” it said.

It is calling for products, vouchers, gifts, corporate hospitality, merchandising and “money can’t buy” items and experiences that would be particularly attractive to bidders in the auction.

The Benevolent’s chief executive David Cox said The Benevolent was actively encouraging its supporters to promote the fundraising initiative to colleagues and client to ensure the auction is a success and raises “vital funds” for members of the UK drinks industry facing difficult circumstances.

“We are aware that many brand owners and importers perhaps have access to tickets for prestigious events or special edition products or luxury merchandise and if just some of these could be allocated to us, they can make extremely attractive silent auction lots,” he added. “As well as our trade colleagues, we intend to make this online auction available to those outside the trade, especially private clients of fine wine companies and we think they would love to bid for these types of lots and help us with our fundraising”

The organization was set up to support members of the drinks trade facing financial or medical hardship and holds a series of fund-raising events across the year, including the annual Northern Ball, which last year raised £21,000 and the Benevolent Lunch at Vintners Hall, which raised £14,000 for the charity.

The charity is currently working to expand engagement with the UK drinks trade and appointed four new trustees in April, including Conviviality Plc CEO Diana Hunter, Guy Lawrence of Mast-Jägermeister UK, Rita Greenwood of William Grant & Sons UK and Simon Difford of Difford’s Guide.

Last year it called for more volunteers to help it to spread its message by becoming Benevolent Ambassadors.