In an effort to further encourage our businesses to get involved in even more local community activities and initiatives, we've pushed £25,000 to the frontline and have asked our 38,000 retail staff to bid for a share of this pot over the next eight weeks.

This is in addition to our existing 'Employee Donation Fund' where any individual employee in M&B can apply for a donation towards their personal fundraising activities.

Dragon tales...

For the fourth year running, members of the M&B Commercial team took part in the 2012 Dragon Boat Race on the canals of Birmingham city centre. Sadly, they were beaten by some bankers from Barclays but we are very proud of team No'Oars Ark for achieving a respectable second place and for raising over £2,300 for Birmingham Children's Hospital's Cancer Unit.

From Dragon Boats to Dragons Den...

A team of pub Area Managers from Mitchells & Butlers is taking part in the Prince's Trust Million Makers challenge which will see them turn a small investment of £1500 into a profit of £10,000 by coming up with their very own mini enterprise. We're looking forward to seeing how their investments grow.

Sizzling Pubs - the race is on!

Back on the frontline, two of our Sizzling Pubs, the Crown in Northolt and the Tylers Rest in Reading have raised over £2,500 for two great national charities - British Heart Foundation and Cancer Research. The Crown held a race night and the Tylers Rest staff and regulars ran the Race for Life, together!

Pound a plate

Finally this month, Browns' Retail Director, Simon King and famous friend of Browns, Kirsty Gallacher, proudly presented a cheque for a whopping £10,000 to the NSPCC's Head of Corporate Partnerships, Svetlana Kirov. Browns donated £1 for every main course ordered from its new summer menu in May and June.