A North West gin manufacturer has worked 24-hour shifts to donate over 3,000 litres of sanitiser to frontline workers and charitable organisations during the Covid-19 pandemic.
When national supplies of ethanol started to run low and the rate of Covid-19 infections began to rise back in March, Aintree Gin owner Sean Roache researched the manufacturing requirements and ingredients needed to put his company’s equipment to good use to produce sanitisation products.
The company, which makes a range of gins in celebration of the world-famous Aintree racecourse, then began the production of thousands of litres of sanitiser, which they have since delivered across the North West.
Mr Roche, who founded the Merseyside firm is 2018, said: “I could see how the virus was taking a hold and how countries were being hit with a shortage of sanitiser and so I knew it wouldn’t be long before it hit us here in the UK. We already deal in white spirits so I knew we had the basis to make sanitiser.
"I started researching it and sourcing the other necessary ingredients and then as we entered lockdown in the UK I was ready to go.
“As word got out we were bombarded with messages from hospitals, care homes and social workers all in desperate need of sanitiser so we put the word out to friends and family and soon had a team of volunteers helping us meet the demand.
"We have ended up donating over 3,000 litres of the sanitiser to people on the frontline fighting the virus. At the peak of the virus, we were working around the clock, 24 hours a day.”
The demand for sanitisers is still huge, Mr Roche said, adding: “Our gin business was growing significantly before Covid-19 hit but the pandemic has opened up a whole new business direction for us. Of course, we are still supporting worthwhile organisations with sanitiser products but we are now providing Aintree sanitiser to businesses including shops, bars, hotels, restaurants, schools and colleges.
"The need for a sanitiser is here to stay, even after Covid-19 I think we have all increased our efforts to maintain high standards of cleanliness and hygiene. Aintree sinister is now a major part of our business operations.”
Mr Roche added: “I am proud we have played our part in helping people in the North West fight Covid-19 and we will continue to do so. The virus does not seem to be shifting yet so we still have a lot to do but it is about all of us being sensible and taking the steps to fight it.”
Sales of the firm's gins are booming - with interest from as far away as Australia.
