Pub companies pledge support for charity event
More than 500 pubs have signed up to the World’s Biggest Pub Quiz, running from 9-15 May, with organisers PubAid confident this year’s event will hit an all-time high in pub participation and money raised for charities including Shelter, this year’s quiz partner.
A growing number of pub companies are supporting the quiz and encouraging their licensees to participate, Admiral Taverns, Ember Inns, Everards, Fuller, Smith & Turner, Greene King, Hall & Woodhouse, Marston’s, Punch Pubs, Robinsons, Shepherd Neame, St Austell Brewery, Star Pubs & Bars, Stonegate, Trust Inns and Wells & Co. Individual pubs are also signing up in significant numbers.
Pubs can register or find out more on the dedicated Quiz website: https://worldsbiggestquiz.
For the first time, PubAid is working with online quiz platform Kwizzbit, which allows licensees to host a traditional, fun pub quiz on their smartphone, with technology making it easier to run and offering features that make it more engaging for customers and drive greater footfall into the pub.
PubAid co-founder Des O’Flanagan said: “We’re delighted with the response to the Quiz, and with two months til launch, we’re confident of many more hundreds of pubs signing up.
“After the pandemic forced us to take a break from the quiz last year, there’s definitely renewed enthusiasm among licensees for events that bring people back into the pub. The quiz is completely free for pubs to run, offers customers a fun evening and raises huge sums for many charities, including Shelter. We are looking forward to the most successful ever quiz in May!”
Homeless charity Shelter was chosen as the quiz’s new partner following the Covid lockdown. Currently, 91 families become homeless every day in England. Money raised in the Quiz will help Shelter give information, advice and support to those facing homelessness. Pubs are encouraged to host the quiz in aid of Shelter, but have the freedom to support another charity, or divide funds raised between Shelter and a cause closer to home.
All pubs signing up to host a quiz will receive a free fundraising pack including posters and social media assets, to help them host a quiz that brings customers into their pub for a fun-filled evening that raises money for a worthy cause.
Chris Jowsey, CEO at Admiral Taverns, said: “We’re encouraging all our licensees to get involved in the World’s Biggest Pub Quiz, which is a fantastic opportunity to hold an event that brings the community together and raises money for charity.
“We’re pleased that the quiz is flexible, allowing licensees to run it at a time to suit them. It is also a good chance to support both local charities of their choice and the World’s Biggest Pub Quiz’s charity Shelter, whose support for those facing homelessness has never been more important. We look forward to quizzes taking place in Admiral Taverns pubs across the country in May.”
Kevin Georgel, CEO at St Austell Brewery, said: “Everyone loves a pub quiz and it’s great to be hosting this one back in the pub rather than on Zoom! At a time when so many people are struggling with housing, there’s more demand than ever for the services provided by Shelter; they are a worthy charity partner for the World’s Biggest Pub Quiz this year and we’re confident our licensees and customers will want to support them.”
Samantha Rhodes, Operations Director at Ember Inns, said: “We’re delighted to be supporting the World’s Biggest Pub Quiz this May. Pub quizzes are part of our DNA at Ember Inns and we know our teams and guests are looking forward to getting involved, having fun and raising much-needed funds to help tackle homelessness through the great work Shelter do across the UK.”
Max Newton, Head of Community Fundraising at Shelter, said: “We’re really encouraged by this response to the World’s Biggest Pub Quiz and confident that the momentum is building and we’ll see record levels of pubs participate in May. It’s great to see that a majority of pubs are choosing to support Shelter: every pound raised will help us to be there for anyone facing homelessness.”
The World’s Biggest Pub Quiz was launched in 2016 and has raised a total of £750,000 for hundreds of charities.
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Notes to editors
PubAid is a working party created in 2009 to promote UK pubs as a force for good in their communities, sharing the message that they raise over £100m per year for charities and contribute a further £40 million to grassroots sport.
The PubAid steering group is led by co-founder Des O’Flanagan and includes a number of well-known figures from the pub world, who lend their time and other resources to help spread the positive messages about pubs’ role at the heart of their communities. www.pubaid.com
Shelter: Shelter exists to defend the right to a safe home and fight the devastating impact the housing emergency has on people and society. Shelter believes that home is everything. Learn more at www.shelter.org.uk.
Kwizzbit utilises cutting-edge smartphone technology to deliver interactive trivia from anywhere in the world. Formed in 2017, KwizzBit is a UK-based software company built on two simple beliefs – simplicity and innovation – which has positioned them as a driving force in multiple markets.
KwizzBit has built a reputation for high-quality trivia and exciting, competitive gameplay within the hospitality industry. They have helped build successful quiz nights in hundreds of venues, as well as delivering large-scale quiz competitions with global suppliers like Strongbow and Guinness to thousands of venues in the UK and beyond.
Following the clear appetite for trivia, they have also delivered virtual and physical quiz events for global blue-chip companies like Nintendo and Amazon, helped raise over £70,000 for various charities and successfully developed a play-at-home platform for friends, families and trivia enthusiasts everywhere.
With over 50,000 quizzes connecting more than 500,000 people worldwide since its inception, KwizzBit is just getting started. www.kwizzbit.com.
Press release issued on behalf of:PubAid
By:ShielPorter Communications
Further information:ros@shielporter.