Stonegate Pub Company’s North Division has launched its own rendition of Vera Lynn’s We’ll Meet Again in honour of the 75th Anniversary of VE Day. The video launched across the company’s internal Facebook groups at 3pm today (Friday 8th May) in line with the Nation’s Toast.
It features 200 team members from all nine of the division’s areas contributing to the video from their own homes, either filming themselves saying cheers or singing the song together over Zoom. The video also includes an edit of Churchill’s famous VE Day speech, to reflect the current trials our nation faces during the COVID-19 crisis.
This is the latest initiative to come from the furloughed Stonegate team, who are determined to continue the same sense of community and team spirit synonymous with the company throughout lockdown. The video also encourages donations to the Stonegate Families Condolence Fund that has already raised more than £20,000 for the families of colleagues tragically taken by the coronavirus.
Mark Lamb, Area Manager for Yorkshire, said: “It has certainly been an undertaking, editing clips from everyone involved to make the video, but we’re all delighted with the result. I want to say a particular thank you to Richard Denton, at the Crown in Huddersfield, for making the final product as good as it is. And while we may not be singers, we have definitely made up for that in enthusiasm and spirit!
“VE Day is an important landmark in our nation’s history and it feels even more poignant to mark it as we go through what will in no doubt be remembered as another reflection of our country’s strength and determination. I’m immensely proud of the whole Stonegate team who continue to support and uplift each other and their communities throughout this time and I look forward to us being a stronger, more determined unit when we come out of this. I know we’ll all be raring to go!”
– Ends –
YouTube: https://youtu.be/mJZHrUfVzx8
WeTransfer: https://we.tl/t-Rk6UZDjKfB
About Stonegate Pub Company
Following the acquisition of Ei Group on 3rd March 2020 for £1.27bn, Stonegate Pub Company is the largest pub company in the UK. Its portfolio is comprised of 1270 sites within the managed division and 3457 leased and tenanted businesses.
The managed pubs division, which employs 17,000 people, is split into Branded and Traditional pubs. Branded is comprised of: Slug & Lettuce, Walkabout, Be At One and Venues. Traditional (unbranded) pubs is made up of: Proper Pubs, Town Pub & Kitchen, Classic Inns, Common Room, Craft Union and Bermondsey Pub Group.