If ever there was a time to come together in the name of cocktails, the aptly named Community Spirit is it. Taking place tomorrow, 9th July, here’s where some of the best bars in the capital will come together to raise funds for the Grenfell Tower victims.
Sly Augustin is the man with the plan. As someone who has lived in the area all of his life and whose bar Trailer Happiness is just minutes away from Grenfell, the tragedy wasn’t just a story in the papers, it was something personal and he knew he had to do something to help.
“The events at Grenfell have affected me deeply. But the one ray of light was the incredible response from the community,” he says. “Regular people stepped up and gave time and possessions without a second thought. The bar world has an equally strong sense of community – people you don’t know will go out of their way to help you as standard. It was no surprise when people within the industry reached out and offered support immediately after the Grenfell disaster. What I didn’t realise is just how many people wanted to help and just how many brands were willing to get involved.”
He’s right. It’s a cracking line-up, with teams from Trailer Happiness joined by bars from the East and West of London including Swift, Callooh Callay, Portobello Star, City Social, London Cocktail Club, Mahiki, Duck & Waffle, Punch Room, 65 & King and Barrio Bars on the drinks and Bad Sports, Port Royal and more providing delicious eats to ensure we’re all sipping responsibly.
Now, we’re not the best with maths but even we can work out that three full-sized cocktails included in the £20 ticket price* is a bargain anywhere, let alone in London. Add live music from Jazz Re:Freshed and DJ sets, including a set from The Shapeshifters into the mix and you’ve got yourself the perfect day out. And the best bit is, it’s all in a good cause. Every single penny raised on the day will go to Rugby Portobello and The Harrow Club, two local community organisations located in the area and working on the ground, as well as The London Fire Brigade Welfare Fund, and The K & C Foundation, which work to fund local groups.
“I can’t wait to see the culmination of this generosity,” says Sly. “We intend to grow Community Spirit beyond this recent tragedy, fundraising to give back to local communities across the capital on an ongoing basis.” We’ll drink to that.
See you there.
Community Spirit for Grenfell takes place from 3pm to 1am on Sunday 9th July at Westbank Arts and Music, 3-5 Thorpe Close, London W10 5XL.
For tickets and more information, see communityspirit.fund and show your support by following @ldnspiritfund across all social platforms.
*Don’t worry, additional cocktails are available to buy on the day.
