THE Bombay Sapphire Distillery is supporting a global initiative to provide more than one million litres of hand sanitiser to communities across the world.

The distiller, based in Laverstoke Mill, is one of eight Bacardi-owned manufacturing sites that will be contributing to the cause as the company diverts processes to supply the much-needed alcohol essential for the increased production of hand sanitisers.

Specifically, it will be helping to produce a small quantity of hand sanitisers that will be donated to local doctors, chemists and care homes.

A message shed on the Bombay Sapphire Distillery’s Facebook page read: “Bombay Sapphire Distillery will begin the production of hand sanitiser, to be donated to doctor’s, chemists and care homes to support the local community at this challenging time.

“This is part of an international effort from our wider Bacardi family that will supply over 1.1 million litres of sanitiser to communities across the world.”

The move is part of a global initiative that will involve a host of Bacardi brands based in the United States, Mexico, France, Italy and Scotland, including Bacardi Rum, Grey Goose vodka, Dewar’s scotch whisky, Martini and more.

Jean-Marc Lambert, SVP Global Operations for Bacardi, said: “Over our 158-year history, we have risen to many challenges and we are doing the same again in response to Covid-19.

“All our brands and partners involved in this initiative will help people most in need benefit from the supply of these hand sanitisers. Our goal is to make a very real difference in the fight against Covid-19.”

All hand sanitisers produced in collaboration with Bacardi will contain more than the minimum alcohol content recommended by the World Health Organization for containing the spread of the virus.

The company says that the emergency actions will not disrupt the supply of brands in the Bacardi portfolio.