The family-owned and operated business places huge importance on the local community and feels fortunate it was in the privileged position of being able to operate during harvest 2020.
It is very aware that many local hospitality businesses may struggle to recover and is keen to support them by buying vouchers. These will go to deserving people in the local community targeting frontline staff who worked tirelessly through lockdown in often difficult conditions.
Whitehaven has a travel budget which is unlikely to be used in the immediate future due to global border restrictions. Therefore some of that money will be redirected to local businesses the company has enjoyed working with in the past.
“The plan is to buy vouchers from these businesses when they open – local companies we know and who have supported us in the past,” says Whitehaven’s founder and Managing Director Sue White. “This will hopefully generate some form of income for them on day one. “
Nearly 200 restaurant vouchers and 200 smaller value café vouchers will be bought to be used once restrictions are eased and businesses are allowed to open again.
“It’s basically a way to pay it forward and thank the frontline staff who have provided services and help to us all through the lockdown,” says Sue.
Because they can’t help everyone Whitehaven is keen to encourage other wineries or businesses to do something similar or come up with their own ways of supporting local businesses, particularly those they have enjoyed a working relationship with.
Recipients will include medical and rest home staff, supermarket staff, rubbish collectors and courier drivers who have had to work through the challenges the COVID-19 pandemic presented. Businesses will be asked if they had any “local heroes” in mind.
Sue White says buying the vouchers is a genuine way Whitehaven can support local businesses as they come out of lockdown while rewarding key essential workers at the same time.
So far the reaction to the scheme has been incredibly positive with companies approached thrilled at the concept and touched at the support Whitehaven is offering.
For more information, head to Whitehaven Wines.