The Independent partners with The Three Drinkers to champion diversity through new mentorship programme

The new initiave will cover training and sessions with leading figures in the industry

Drinklusive was founded by Aidy Smith, of food, drink and lifestyle media platform The Three Drinkers (The Three Drinkers)

The Independent has partnered with The Three Drinkers – a food, drink and lifestyle media platform – to improve inclusivity and champion aspiring drinks writers and content creators through the launch of the Drinklusive mentoring programme.

Spearheaded by The Three Drinkers and the platform’s managing director, Aidy Smith, the new initiative will offer valuable opportunities, training and experience. A total of six mentees will be onboarded across LGBTQIA+, ethnic minority and disability diversity communities, and socio-economic status will also be considered.

Launching for the first time in January 2024, each Drinklusive programme will last six months, and Smith has said he intends for this to be an “ongoing program, not just a one-off” so that long-term change can be achieved.

“Since I joined this industry a decade ago, it’s been my mission to welcome more diverse faces into it,” Smith said. “Being the only TV presenter in the UK with Tourettes Syndrome and one of the few openly LGBTQIA+ and neurodivergent personalities in the drinks world has allowed me to see how much work needs to be done and I’m now in a position to influence that change.”

Six mentees will be onboarded onto the Drinklusive mentorship (The Three Drinkers)

During the six-month programme, mentees will cover levels two and three of Wine & Spirit Education Trust training in drinks and spirits. They will also attend seminars, workshops, one-to-one sessions with influential and leading figures and access mentoring on a range of topics, from drinks culture to creating a social media presence. Mentees will be paid to create content for The Three Drinkers and receive guaranteed commissions for The Independent and Jancis Robinson’s eponymous wine platform.

Speaking of the new mentorship, Annabel Grossman, executive editor (eCommerce) for The Independent said: “The Independent is constantly striving to improve diversity among our journalists to ensure our articles reflect the fullest possible range of perspectives and experiences. We are thrilled to be partnering with the inclusivity incubator and excited to work with these new voices in the drinks space.”

On the impact it will have on the wider industry, Jancis Robinson, wine critic and journalist, added: “It is just so obvious that the world of wine will benefit if we take steps to widen the pool of people who populate it. It will undoubtedly be enriched”.

Interested in being part of the UK’s first inclusivity mentorship and incubator programme? The good news is that applications can be made now on The Three Drinkers’s website until 1 January 2024.

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