Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust was set up by James Maxwell and made operational in 2000 in memory of his wife Jo, who died of cervical cancer in 1999. In terms of structure, the base of the gin is very floral and sweet thanks to the botanicals we use which include hibiscus, Madagascan vanilla pods, almonds, a hit of lemon, elderflower and soothing chamomile. Believe it or not, there is actually more juniper in this recipe compared to any of our other gins, due to the need for balance in flavour, so that it can stand up and compete with the sweeter botanicals. The botanicals are then macerated in the alcohol over night before being distilled through Maggie. Once we have this high strength spirit, the honey and raspberries (in what is essentially a gigantic tea bag!) then sit in it for a week before a very technical cold filtration process, which enables us to remove the solids of the honey from the liquid. We then dilute the spirit to 40% ABV using our spring water from the farm, before we bottle it and sell it to our amazing customers! Although the bottle itself is pinky-red in colour, we do not add any artificial or natural colouring to our recipe, but it is certainly ‘pink’ in flavour! Jo was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 1995 and had difficulty finding any real information on the subject.

Our experiences – Gin Tours and Workshops is where I dipped my toes next. These were quite daunting for me. I had never spoken publicly and actively avoided doing so, to be honest! I was nervous every time I did a tour or workshop. I’ve heard people say that’s a good thing, but I struggled to shake them and ended up not looking forward to getting up there in front of sometimes 50+ people. With every job, there are elements of it that we won’t enjoy or not enjoy as much as other aspects. It turned out I was pretty good at speaking publicly but regardless of that – I still couldn’t shake the anxiety of it! Craft Gin Clubbers will already know that this fight is personal for the team at Brindle Distillery. In 2018, Liz Singleton, the wife of Brindle’s Head Distiller and Director, Mark Long, was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of cervical cancer.I feel I can relate to J O’Shea in my own employment. I’ve worked here for nearly 6 years now and in that time, I have contributed to several roles for the distillery. When I first came on board in May 2018, it was in a part time capacity as I was still working at a restaurant in Manchester. I began to help with events – which were popular then in the gin category. There was somewhere to be every week showcasing the gin. One week you’d be doing a festival in Bristol and the next you’d be closer to home doing a farmer’s market in Helmshore. The treatment that Liz had to endure was invasive and ultimately life-altering, but she managed to pull through and is now living her best life with Mark. The road to recovery wasn’t easy, but Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust was a great support to the couple throughout. The LIVE virtual tastings are carried out in the last week of the month. Please keep an eye on our socials for confirmed dates! So, despite going against the grain, Sunshine has brought me a lot of joy and I know it will continue to do so, even if I don’t drink it that often!

This close collaboration of two highly regarded local agencies worked well and allowed us to tap into the necessary design and technical expertise required to take our online presence to the next level.

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