WELLBEING — Hand Sanitiser

As lockdown restrictions are eased, we have been working behind the scenes establishing new hand sanitiser points for local communities.

We are proud to announce that you can now find hand sanitiser available in both Romsey (Hampshire) and Esher (Surrey).

The first location is the wonderful delicatessen ‘Luc Fine Foods’ on 1 Latimer St, Romsey. You will also be able to find a selection of fantastic Wines, Specialty Cheeses, and Superb Charcuterie (Cured Meats) sliced to your requirements. The second location is G!RO Cycles in Esher. G!RO is a cycling haven and serving organic coffees, cakes and light meals, plus cycling gear. You can also find Explorer’s Gin if you need some!

Both locations are on our map.

Our crisis dashboard has been created to give you an instant 'big picture' overview of the situation around you both locally, regionally and at an international level.

The dashboard uses multiple data feeds to draw in up-to-the-minute information from several sources and I will continue to monitor and update as required. It also will provide real time information on where hand sanitiser can be found and our level of supplies.

With this holistic, real-time insight, I hope you will be able to make better informed, time-critical decisions when moving about the local area and avoid being affected.

We are now raising money in order to make much needed hand sanitiser for our communities.

BACKGROUND
Times have changed, and we all need to step up and help as we now all face a common yet unprecedented enemy in the shape of Covid 19. To date we have all been watching the news as communities in China, Italy and Spain have been destroyed by the virus. Watching convoys of military trucks taking away bodies for cremation is one of the most sobering things I have seen in years and my thoughts are with those families who never had the chance to say goodbye or give that one last hug to loved ones.

COVID 19 has totally changed our landscape overnight, schools closed, roads empty, town centres quiet, shops closed, with some boarded up for good. The skies are empty of planes travelling to exotic destinations, and families are now wondering how they will survive. Goods that were once plentiful are scarce and, in some cases, a luxury resource. What we watched from afar is now upon us and in our own communities. No one is immune from it and it is a killer of all ages.

It is amazing to see how our communities have risen to the challenge, helping out those in need within their community. Our doctors, nurses, health workers, police, community services and the many volunteers who help both NHS and all the other businesses come from within our communities. They are our life line as they serve selflessly on the front line combating Covid19.

If Downton Distillery can play a small role in helping and preventing the inexorable march and loss of life to COVID-19 then it will do so.

WHY NOW?
Following the fantastic lobbying of Alan Powell, of the British Distillers Alliance, HMRC have agreed to suspend the paying of tax against alcohol. This means that the distillery no longer must pay tax in order to create hand sanitiser. This allows Downton Distillery to step onto the playing field and help our communities. 
Last week we released our first batches of hand sanitiser. This went to local villages around Downton and to the Wiltshire front line services, but sadly it has already gone.

WHAT IS REQUIRED? 
In order to really help and provide hand sanitiser in the quantities required, the distillery needs to buy supplies in bulk. The raised amount will allow the teams behind the scenes the chance to create 10,000L of hand sanitiser.

HOW YOU CAN HELP
Creating the hand sanitiser is one part of the jigsaw, identifying key points of contact, delivering it to our front line services and into communities are important parts too. Everyone has a part to play in keeping our communities safe.

Please watch the Downton Distillery web pages for updates as we release more hand sanitiser. Your money will help potentially help save lives and keep your own community safe. Alone we can do so little but together we can do so much, let us know how we can help you beat it.

The following locations have free hand sanitiser points.

Our available volumes are constantly changing in each location. This is due to us responding to front line service requests. There will also be times when we run out of hand sanitiser, please be patient as it will be replenished by the funds that you donate that allow us to provide this service.

We ask that you provide a donation to cover the costs, as this will allow us to purchase more supplies and ensure that we can keep you both safe and supplied during this pandemic. You will need to bring a small bottle which we can fill for you.

Points and timings can be found on the Covid19 Dashboard (down the page).