A brewery has donated nearly £30,000 to local charities and good causes.

Family brewer, Hall and Woodhouse, based in Blanford, have dished out more than £27,000 worth of grants to 20 good causes as part of their Community Chest Awards.

Mark Woodhouse, Family Director of Hall and Woodhouse, said: “At Hall & Woodhouse, we exist to make people’s day, and I’m proud to see this purpose put into practice in any way we can.

“We never cease to be amazed by the tremendous good that organisations can do for their communities and are honoured to help continue their hard work. It’s all about providing access to funding for small, local, volunteer-led, and trustworthy organisations that make a real difference.

“It’s always a privilege to meet the people behind the organisations which are making such a positive change. Already, I very much look forward to launching the Community Chest again in the Spring.”

One of the recipients of the grant was Weymouth Foodbank which was given a donation of £2,700.

The foodbank operates from four locations across Weymouth, providing local people with essential groceries and hygienic equipment.

In 2023, Weymouth Foodbank fed a total of 14,156 beneficiaries, which was a 56 per cent increase from 2022.

The funding provided by Hall and Woodhouse will cover the purchase of milk, cheese, and eggs for a whole month.

Another beneficiary, was the Island Community Action (ICA) on Portland which received £1,000.

ICA provides support services to some of Dorset’s most deprived areas where people are suffering from physical, financial, and mental hardships.

They do this through arts and crafts activities and workshops, which encourage local people to participate.