We at Six Till Six understand how tough the pandemic has been for those working in the licensed trade.  We are acutely aware of the financial stresses the pandemic has placed on businesses & staff and negative effect this has had on future prospects and mental health.  Even though many  businesses are either open or preparing to open up again, we know that due to continuing COVID restrictions many of these issues will still be prevalent.

A short while ago, partnership initiative All Hands To The Pump ran a webinar with the Drinks Trust and the Licensed Trade Charity that outlined some of the support they are offering to those in the licensed trade.  Further to this, we wanted to highlight the varied and valuable support that is available through The Licensed Trade Charity and The Drinks Trust.  We hope these resources are helpful, please see below:

                The Drinks Trust

• Helpline – 0800 915 4610

This helpline is open 24/7 with a dedicated team of counsellors offering in the moment support.  This helpline also gives referrals to over 30 various online CBT and 1:1 sessions on debt, legal advice, meditation, life & career coaching, consumer advice and more.

• Hardship Support

The Drinks Trust offers hardship grants, advice on debt and guidance on accessing government funding.  They also offer emergency grants due to illness, life-changing disability, or family crisis.

• Wellbeing Services

They provide three wellness services that are accessible to everyone working in the drinks industry: sleep and insomnia treatment, free to use online video counselling, and mindful drinking courses.

• Career Development

They also provide career advice and support to those working in the industry.  This includes things such as study grants, vocational tools and mentoring & networking opportunities.

• The Drinks Community

This is The Drink Trust’s new skills sharing, networking and wellbeing platform.  It is an interactive platform that is dedicated to creating connections and opportunities between drinks professionals at a time when COVID-19 has hindered this.  The content that will support those in the licensed trade will be presented in the form of: inspirational pieces, forums, vocational materials, videos and the promotion of other services offered by The Drinks Trust.

Sign up to the Drinks Community here:

The Licensed Trade Charity (LTC)

Free Helpline – 0808 801 0550

This is a free helpline that anyone working in the licensed trade can call if they need support of any kind.  The LTC offer support and advice through this helpline a variety of issues such as:

• Mental Health

The LTC has resources that can support you with any mental health issues you may be facing, these include help-sheets with practical tips that might help you think through what you are facing.  Counsellors are also available to help through the free helpline.

• Health

Especially during the pandemic, health has become a major concern for many.  If you become ill, or have an accident, your whole life may be affected. The LTC can provide useful advice on money, housing, your job and more, to help you get by.  They might also be able to help you with financial support if you are off work for some time.

• Housing

They provide support to those facing issues with their home, whether it’s paying the bills or not having essential items.  The helpline and resources online provide support and advice on housing.  They may also be able to provide solutions to more serious housing issues such as homelessness through their partnerships with Shelter and Anchor Housing.

• Money

Advice and support on money and financial issues is available through the LTC.  They give advice on a variety of things including what benefits you may be entitled to and how to manage personal debt.  In some cases they can provide financial aid when needed.

• Employment Support

The impact of COVID-19 on the licensed trade sector has been huge. Many find themselves needing to look for a new job whether to supplement their income or after losing theirs through redundancy. The LTC has resources to help you improve or update your skills, create a great CV, find a new job and prepare for interview.

• Education

The LTC are also able to provide education support for those working in the licensed trade and their families.  For those working in the industry, the LTC are able to provide training and guidance to help them into a better job.  For the families of those working in the licensed trade, the LTC is able to provide support for children in school.  In some circumstances, children may be eligible to attend the LTC’s school in Berkshire.

These resources are available to anyone working in the licensed trade and can be accessed at any time.  We hope that you find the links and advice useful and are able to use them to support yourself as COVID restrictions are lifted.  With businesses already re-opened or preparing to re-open, we wish you the best of luck and hope things go smoothly.

If you are interested in attending more webinars hosted by All Hands to The Pump, click here to see what subjects are going to be discussed in the coming months.