Anyone who knows us knows how much we love beer-based merch, and patches in particular. So we thought it was about time we had some of our own! With money raised from the Thoughtful Night Market in November (mega thanks to The Crafthood for inviting us to be a part of this fantastic event!), we bought a set of these:

Instead of selling them via an online shop, we wanted to do something that made a difference. All of the money raised from markets that Craft Beer Newcastle does goes back to help something local (the profit from the summer Thoughtful Night Market allowed us to sponsor one of the North East beers at Salford Beer Fest this year).

But now it’s winter, it’s cold, and more than ever there are people who can’t afford to feed their families. We’ll not use this post to share our thoughts on how broken the current system is (but please make sure you do by choosing wisely when you vote on 12th December), but we wanted to do something to help. So, if you want one of the 30 patches we’ve got for sale, here’s what you need to do:

1. Donate a minimum of £5 to Newcastle West End Foodbank here

2. Email us proof of your donation + the address you’d like your patch sending to here

3. We’ll post your patch out to you, free of charge.
(30 patches available)

Newcastle West End Foodbank opened in March 2013 and is one of the busiest foodbanks in the UK. They provide three days’ nutritionally balanced emergency food and support to local people who are referred to their team in crisis. West End Foodbank is part of a nationwide network, supported by The Trussell Trust, working to combat poverty and hunger across the UK.

What else can I do to help?

If you’d like to donate goods to West End Foodbank, Mean Eyed Cat is operating as a drop off point from now until 10th December. There’s a list of items needed here.