Based in Derbyshire, White Peak Distillery shares our appreciation for the landscapes we work to restore, particularly the River Derwent and its surrounding habitats.
The partnership first developed after White Peak Distillery attended one of our outdoor events and became interested in the work being done along the River Derwent. From there, our creative collaboration was shaped by shared interests in local heritage, wildlife and habitat restoration.
From the beginning, the approach has been highly collaborative, with both organisations contributing ideas, knowledge, and time to explore what could be achieved together.
Reflecting on the partnership, Claire Vaughan, Founder of White Peak Distillery, said:
“From the very beginning, we wanted White Peak Distillery to be about more than making great spirits. As a young distillery, we didn’t have large budgets to invest in charitable programmes, but we did have creativity, passion and a strong connection to place. We wanted to find a way to use the skills and resources we had to make a positive difference in our local community. Our partnership with Derbyshire Wildlife Trust has shown that when organisations come together around shared values, even small businesses with limited budgets can help create meaningful and lasting impact for people, wildlife and the landscapes we all depend on.”
Turning Riverbank Challenges into Creative Conservation
The River Derwent is a vital part of Derbyshire’s natural environment, supporting a diverse range of wildlife and habitats. Like many river systems, however, it is under pressure from invasive non-native species such as Himalayan balsam, which spreads rapidly along riverbanks and can outcompete native plants.
Rather than viewing these challenges in isolation, our partnership has focused on bringing these stories to life in a way that helps people connect with them more directly.
The partnership has also created opportunities to support nature recovery in more direct ways. In 2022, White Peak Distillery auctioned the first 12 bottles of its inaugural Wire Works Whisky – Derbyshire's first single malt whisky – raising more than £7,500 for Derbyshire Wildlife Trust to support our work for wildlife and wild places across the county.
Building on this shared commitment to place and conservation, the partnership has continued to explore creative ways of engaging people with nature and supporting our Wilder 2030 vision of a Derbyshire where wildlife is recovering, thriving and valued by everyone.
Capturing the Landscape in a Bottle
One of the most distinctive outcomes has been the creation of the limited-edition Shining Cliff ‘Riverside’ Gin.
Working together, White Peak Distillery experimented with botanicals hand-foraged from the River Derwent and from our nature reserve close to the distillery in the Derwent Valley. Ingredients including water mint, Himalayan balsam seeds, meadowsweet, wood sorrel and red clover each capture the essence of the river and its surrounding landscape. The result is more than a product. It’s something that helps people connect with the River Derwent and the landscapes around it.
