Love Island star Harry Young helps launch drinks for Dream Maker Foundation charity

The Peacock and Ivy Gastro Bar in Hamilton hosted the glamorous launch event on Sunday to showcase all three of the artisan spirits which are to be sold all over Scotland.

All profits from the venture will go towards the Dream Maker Foundation who work tirelessly to make dreams come true for children with serious illnesses.

Angela Cook, who runs the charity, said that the idea to develop the alcoholic drinks came when a lack of fundraising opportunities forced team Dream Maker to get creative. She said: “It’s been really hard for the charity during covid because all of our big fundraising events had to be cancelled.

“I was trying to come up with some ideas for how to bring in some extra funds and thought a range of drinks that could be sold in pubs or online might do well.

“It’s all made in really small batches and the flavours are based around the charity’s colours red, yellow and blue.”

Pictured: Harry Young samples some banana rum

The high quality gins, vodkas, and rums are made by the Distillutions distillery in Arbroath and are available to purchase through the charity’s website now.

Angela said: “They’re all 40 per cent proof and really yummy, I think everyone who has tried it here today can testify to that.

“The blue one is blueberry and grape vodka, the red is sherbet apple gin and then the yellow is banana rum.

“This fantastic pub in Hamilton called The Peacock and Ivy were the first to agree to stock our drinks, so we thought it would be nice to hold our launch event with them.

“Then we decided we would get a famous Wishaw boy, Harry, down to give them a try.

“We hope it’s going to give us a bit of a boost now that things are going back to normal because we’ve got all these lovely kids that are needing our help as lockdown eases.”

Pictured: Angela Cook, Harry Young and Les Hoey MBE

Fresh out of the Love Island Villa, Harry Young was happy to help a charity that has done his local community so much good and thoroughly enjoyed being one of the lucky first few to try the drinks.

He said: “Obviously I’m aware of all the amazing work that the Dream Maker Foundation do, so when they contacted me it wasn’t even a question for me, I just said ‘yes I’ll help out in any capacity I can’.

“I’ve been really busy since I got back a few weeks ago but it’s great to be down here today having a few drinks and supporting the charity.

“I’ve never been much of a rum person, but this one is in a different class, it’s really nice.”

Harry isn’t the first celebrity to lend his star power to The Dream Maker Foundation. Founder Les Hoey started the charity almost 30 years ago and has since helped hundreds of children realise their dreams of meeting famous faces.

Les said: “It’s great to have Harry come to help us promote our new drinks today.

“This is what I’ve been doing for years. I remember when the MacDonald brothers left the X-factor we had them at our Christmas party that same weekend.

“We help kids meet all kinds of celebrities, Ed Sheeran has worked with us before and Katy Perry had kids up on stage two nights in a row."

These star studded meetings are only a small part of the incredible work the Dream Maker Foundation does for children with life threatening illnesses all over Scotland.

Run by only three members of staff, the charity specialises in putting a smile back on seriously ill children's faces, whether that’s by helping them meet celebrity heroes, gifting them a state of the art mobile phone or providing a much needed holiday.

Now, Les says profits from the new drinks will help the charity to host some very special events. He said: “We’re hoping some pubs in Glasgow might consider stocking the products because the kids will really benefit from it.

“The big thing for this year will be the Christmas party which we haven’t been able to run for the last two years.

“We get clowns, magicians and celebrity’s involved and we put on a big buffet.

“We also have two caravans at Craig Tara in Ayr where families can go for a break.

“The site is specifically chosen because you can get back to Glasgow hospitals within half an hour and we manage to offer free entertainment passes and discounts for food and drinks.”

After Sunday’s successful launch event, Les is confident that the new drinks will do well thanks in part to Love Island Star Harry’s involvement in promoting them. He said: “We’re always trying to do something a wee bit different to raise money.

“It’s great that Harry has given up his time to come help us today.

“Who knows, maybe he’ll have had more luck finding a girl here than he did in the villa!”

For more information on the Les Hoey foundation and their new drinks click here .

Please remember to drink responsibly.