BICESTER, OXFORDSHIRE – 2 June 2026 – The Sky Wave Distilling Company has published its first Charitable Support & Community Impact Report, revealing that the independent spirits producer has fulfilled over 214 distinct charitable requests between 2019 and 2026. Operating from its uniquely placed distillery at Bicester Motion, the brand is demonstrating how independent British businesses can strategically drive societal change on both a national and regional level.

National Impact Through "The Spirit of Adventure"

On a national scale, Sky Wave proudly partners with The Rona Sailing Project. Based in Southampton, this organisation is one of the oldest and largest volunteer-based sail training charities in the UK. The charity runs inclusive sail training voyages designed for individuals from diverse backgrounds and abilities.

Embracing its core "Spirit of Adventure", Sky Wave makes a dedicated donation to the project from every single bottle of Sky Wave Gin sold. These crucial funds are specifically directed towards funding the sailing qualifications and sailing kit required to train volunteer Skippers, Mates, Watch Officers, and Watch Leaders aboard the charity's sail training boat, Lady Shona.

A Sustainable Blueprint for Local Philanthropy

While expanding its national reach, Sky Wave maintains a strict "Local First" policy, giving absolute priority to community groups and charities in Oxfordshire. Over the past eight years, the company has strategically evolved its philanthropic model to maximise impact.

Rachel Hicks, Sky Wave Co-Founder said:
“We always wanted to share our success with our local community which helps support our business. It’s been a learning curve. We’ve evolved from gifting bottles of gin, to now offering vouchers for experiences to fund raising events. This provides charities with highly coveted "money-can't-buy" style auction lots that frequently drive higher ticket sales, while simultaneously bringing gin loving individuals directly into our distillery. We love that they leave as Sky Wave fans and brand ambassadors”.

The company's extensive local support spans several critical sectors:

• Education and Youth Development: Sky Wave proactively supports local PTAs and state schools, focusing particularly on those within a 5-mile radius of Bicester. They recently aided Bardwell Special School in an £85,000 campaign to build an accessible, wheelchair-friendly nursery playground.

• Health and Mental Wellbeing: The distillery consistently backs major medical institutions and fundraisers, including those for Great Ormond Street Hospital. Furthermore, they prioritise charities offering psychological support, donating to the Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM), Oxfordshire Mind, and and helping to build a music room for adults at The Warneford Hospital in Oxford.

• Community Heritage: The brand actively works to sustain the social fabric of rural villages. This includes contributing to efforts such as the Yarnton Community Benefit Society's £425,000 bid to purchase and save The Red Lion pub as a community enterprise. Sky Wave is also a long-term partner of Plunkett UK, the Oxfordshire based charity which supports community owned businesses.

• Emergency Services and Military: Given their proximity to local bases, the distillery has provided consistent donations to ABF The Soldiers Charity, Thames Valley Air Ambulance, and Bicester Fire Station.

By viewing charitable support as a mutual partnership, The Sky Wave Distilling Company has woven its brand inextricably into the success, health, and joy of the local community and beyond.

Read the full report here: