Pubs across the UK are being invited to get involved in this year’s Thank You Day, https://thankyouday.org.uk, on Sunday, 7 July to help recognise the volunteers and people in their communities who make a real difference to the lives of local people.
Since 2021, Thank You Day has brought millions of people together to celebrate and give thanks to those who go above and beyond. It offers a fantastic opportunity for people to come together and thank the local legends who are at the backbone of communities and give their time and energy to help others.
This year’s Thank You Day also takes place one month after The Big Help Out, https://www.thebighelpout.org.uk/, so it’s also an ideal time to thank local volunteers who took part in community projects as part of that.
Opportunity to thank community services volunteers
For pubs offering community services and activities enabled by volunteers, or for those that are community-owned and supported by unpaid heroes, Thank You Day offers an ideal occasion to recognise their contribution.
Together, the organisation behind Thank You Day, is encouraging publicans to get involved by hosting events and activities, or partnering with other organisations to put on community takeovers and local events as a way to say “Thank You”.
Olivia Williams, Together’s campaign manager said: “Pubs are the perfect place for this celebration. They are natural gathering spots for communities to come together and give thanks.”
Host a community takeover
She added: “Organising a Community Takeover in your pub for Thank You Day is simple. You could host a ‘cheers for volunteers’, a’ BBQ-Thank-Q’, afternoon tea, live music event with a local choir (last year some pubs teamed up with WI choirs), or a dinner and quiz for local volunteer groups.”
Pub is The Hub, The British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA), the Royal Voluntary Service, the WI, Scouts, National Lottery, Music For Dementia, Alzheimer’s Society and the National Association for Social Prescribing are among the organisations supporting this year’s Thank You Day initiative.
Publicans helping to drive togetherness
John Longden, chief executive of Pub is The Hub, said: “Publicans are often the community connectors in their local areas and help to drive togetherness through the range of services, activities and events they provide which have a positive social impact on local people.”
He added: “Taking part in Thank You Day and helping to recognise others who help to make a difference in their communities feels a natural fit for pubs to get involved in.”
Pubs helping to promote social cohesion
Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the British Beer & Pub Association, said: “The value that pubs bring to local areas, be they on a busy urban high street or in a countryside village, is more than the economic; it is also the social, cultural and community value that makes pubs such an essential and dynamic part in knitting together neighbourhoods and promoting social cohesion.”
She added: “Each year pubs help raise over £100 million for charities and there are numerous examples of pubs hosting local voluntary groups in bringing together people in achieving good causes for their communities. There can be no better place to celebrate these volunteers than by saying Thank You than in their local pub.”
Thank You Day resources
Pub is The Hub has produced a free guide for publicans full of ideas and information on how to get involved which can be downloaded here.
Publicans getting involved can find social media assets to help raise awareness of their Thank You Day activities here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1W7ov0Ar0ZK8E7dXEgVnIgQiRzcrNDM29
BB-Thank Q recipe inspiration
If publicans are looking to host Thank You barbecues for the occasion, they can find recipes, including for the ‘Ultimate Thank You Day Burger, created by chef BBQ Ben, a former pub co food development manager, here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/19y9duZiUZCgK_fzmfWO92wKM6Rt8EnEO?usp=share_link
If you decide to host a Thank You Day event, please fill in this form and let Together know so they can help highlight your activities.
Thank You Day background
To discover more about Thank You Day watch when presenter Ross Kemp launched Thank You Day on BBC Breakfast earlier this year here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xTDJJIk28ZE