Coffee for Causes
Since the pandemic of 2020, we've been striving to continue our work supporting charities and causes close to our hearts, you'll see from the original blog post below just what was happening at the time, I wanted to keep the original writing below as a time capsule of what was going on around us in that bizarre and strange time but also wanted to give a little update of some of the work we've continued to do since then.
Last year we put a big effort into our first year round coffee for causes blend, in collaboration with Andy's Man Club.
We even had a couple of great local events with our parnters Victoria Arduino and Minor Figures to help support the cause.
This year we have created a new coffee for some folk very close to us (actually one of our neighbours!), the Old Chapel Music Studio CIC.
The Old Chapel studios have been an institue of music for so many locals of the decades it has been open, supporting the likes of Kaiser Chiefs and the Pigeon Detectives over the years.
Today as with so many other charities the business is struggling with energy bills and overheads.
Music has been a massive part of our lives at the roastery, both myself (Zach), Joe and Rory have been musicians in one way or another and being to help a local art space be continue to operate was somewthing we found really important for our local community.
Anyway, that's a brief look at a couple of things going on at the roastery, there's plenty more causes we're also working with on the coffee producing level, but I think that requires a blog post all in of itself.
(Originally published 13/08/2020)
Whilst we’ve all been living through these bizarre new times, businesses have been suffering, along with charities, our public services and many others.
We’ve seen businesses and individuals take some incredible steps to help our local communities and one another and there some amazing independent Yorkshire coffee companies doing some incredible work to help others suffering in this current climate!
North Star Coffee (northstarroast.com)
North Star, one of the first independent speciality coffee roasters in Leeds have been working tirelessly through the pandemic to help support others who need a little buzz.
With partnership from green (raw) coffee importer Falcon Speciality, North Star have been able to roast, grind and deliver some amazing coffee packages to our NHS frontline staff at the Leeds LGI and London UCH.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CAAj78vnNlW/
Along with this they are also raising money via GoFundMe for coffee farmers in Kenya who lack the support and funding to purchase basic PPE and helping the livelihoods of those who have been adversely affected by the impacts of COVID-19.
Shiloh Coffee Roasters (www.shilohroasters.com)
Shiloh coffee roasters have had a long standing commitment to bettering the lives of coffee farmers around the world and the COVID-19 pandemic has not stopped them one bit.
In early May the Shyira and Vunga regions of Rwanda were hit by devastating landslides and flooding resulting in 28 lives being lost, over 300 homes destroyed as well as cattle, crops and washing stations. For these farmers, their livelihoods and homes have been destroyed.
Shiloh Roasters buys coffee from the farmers indirectly through Raw Material Coffee who do such outstanding work working together with the farmers and Shiloh Roasters are donating all their profits and more to help those who have been affected through their Rwanda Appeal coffee.
https://www.shilohroasters.com/collections/rwanda-appeal
Chipp Coffee Co. (www.chippcoffee.co.uk)
A relatively new coffee roaster to Leeds but a company that has been working relentlessly in the coffee industry for many years, brothers Zach & Alastair have been working on initiatives throughout the lockdown to try help those who need it most.
Teaming up with world renowned artist Will Blood (@iamwillblood), Chipp Coffee Co. have collaborated and produced a limited edition coffee blend with artwork by Will to sell on their online store with 100% of the profits being donated to local NHS charities.
They have also been working to support the Rwanda Landslide fund, Zach has been buying coffee from the Shyira and Vunga washing stations since their crops became available in the UK, building relationships with the farms and importers along with helping build long term sustainable practices from these coffee purchases. That is why this devastation has hit so close to home for them, you can read more and help support the Nyabihu community here:
https://chippcoffee.co.uk/blogs/news/rwanda-landslides-urgent-appeal
Other honourable mentions:
Rounton Coffee Roasters
Rounton coffee roasters of North Yorkshire have also teamed up with Falcon Speciality coffee to offer their own Nightingale blend to the NHS frontline staff.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B_xEdNuAdNj/
Ovenbird Coffee Roasters
Ovenbird coffee roasters of Scotland have just released their Black Lives Matter blend, supporting in solidarity for the BLM movement and donating money raised to BLMUK;