A £10k crowdfunding campaign has been launched to bring out a new Cornish organic gin whose profits will go to fighting climate change.
Mike and Sue Bearcroft have spent the last ten months developing Land of Saints Organic Gin on a not-for-profit basis to support the work of Fauna & Flora International (FFI), the world’s oldest conservation charity.
Since first coming up with the idea last Christmas, the Devoran-based couple have spent endless hours working with a local distillery and local suppliers to create a high-quality drink that not only met their own environmental standards but also contributed in a positive way to the fight against climate change.
They have set up their business, Cornish Spirits, as a social enterprise with 50p from every bottle sold, plus any trading activity surplus, being donated to FFI.
“Climate change is a very real emergency and we want to do anything we can to protect the world we live in for future generations,” said Sue Bearcroft.
“We chose to support Fauna & Flora because the organisation is actively protecting threatened habitat and wildlife.”
The first two batches of gin have already sold out – even though they are not being bottled until the first week in October. Ongoing demand is expected to be similarly high.
“Our phone genuinely hasn’t stopped ringing in the last few weeks,” said Mike Bearcroft, a former director of the British Red Cross, trustee of Connecting Lives Cornwall, published author and popular public speaker.
“Orders are coming in thick and fast, but we want to ensure that Land of Saints Gin is sold nationally and internationally too. Money raised from our Crowdfunder campaign will go towards those marketing and distribution costs – helping us generate even more funding for the climate change cause.”
