Marcel’s Story

To safeguard the anonymity and safety of our beneficiary, all names and any identifiable information about the beneficiary have been changed

This is the heartfelt story of Marcel, one of our brave beneficiaries.

At 34, Marcel was living his dream. He was a passionate wine merchant and educator, thriving in a career he loved. His life was vibrant, full of energy, and full of hope, just like so many of us.

But in the last two years, everything changed. Marcel was diagnosed with a debilitating disease that brought severe pain, constant fatigue, and a rapid decline in his health. On top of that, long-term COVID symptoms left him struggling even more.

As his health worsened, Marcel was forced to step away from work, and like many people facing unimaginable challenges, this took a toll on both his physical and mental well-being. His wife, too, was deeply impacted. She had to take time off from her job to accompany Marcel to countless medical appointments, and during school holidays, she had to step in to help care for their son, as Marcel just couldn’t manage on his own.

The weight of these challenges stretched beyond their health—it strained their finances as well. With Marcel no longer working and his wife juggling caregiving responsibilities, they found themselves falling behind on bills and struggling just to make ends meet. The rising cost of living made everything harder. They were unsure how they’d keep enough food in the house or buy their son new clothes. 

The thought of how they would manage Christmas or birthday presents felt impossible.

But then Marcel reached out to The Drinks Trust, and we knew we had to help. We immediately stepped in to provide a grant that covered the rent and electricity arrears that had been piling up. This vital support brought them relief during a time of overwhelming stress, offering Marcel and his family not just financial assistance, but also a renewed sense of hope.

‘I can’t thank The Drinks Trust enough for the help they have provided myself and my family. We were in such a dire situation with our finances, and were unsure on how we were going to afford our everyday normal expenses. The gratitude we feel is immense, and our family is so grateful. Your kindness has bought our family so much relief.’ - Marcel

20% of adults of working age will be experience poverty this year.  To put that into context for an industry that employs 3.5 million people, that means that potentially 700,000 of drinks hospitality people will suffer severe financial hardship in 2025.

Joseph Rowntree Foundation

The drinks hospitality industry plays a vital role in bringing people together. BUT cost pressures on our industry continue to rise and this year, businesses will be forced to take further measures to reduce outgoings.

This will have a devasting impact on the people who work in our industry, whose financial situations have already been made worse by the difficult economic times in recent years.

1 in 5 of our colleagues will struggle with financial hardship in 2025. Together we can make the difference.

But the drinks hospitality industry is more than a sector - we are a family. Together, we stand united through thick and thin. When one of us is down, the rest rally to help, forging a brighter future for all.

Now more than ever, we need your help to support our colleagues in crisis.

The Drinks Trust is calling on businesses, partners and drinks hospitality people to rally behind our campaign, to support our colleagues in need, to contribute to our goal of raising £1million and pave the way for a stronger, sustainable industry future.

Find out more about the Face It Together Campaign Here