EARNT - an initiative which encourages volunteers to give back to the community in exchange for access to exclusive experiences and events - is launching in Manchester with its first collaboration being in partnership with bar and restaurant The Anthologist, a Drake & Morgan company.

Manchester has been chosen as the first location outside of the capital to launch EARNT’s concept. Already hugely successful in London, EARNT’s previous activations (which included The River Cafe, Hagen Project and Summerill & Bishop) have all been so popular that they booked up within minutes.

The concept is simple. The time, effort and energy put into queueing overnight to get the latest iPhone, or sitting for eight hours with five laptops open trying to bag Taylor Swift tickets, could be put to better use. Just what would you do to skip those queues?

2024 07 04 Earnt Gardening — **Give back to your community by volunteering with EARNT** Image: @earnt_/Instagram

Instead of wasting time, give back to your community by helping clean up a beach, working in a food bank or planting trees (just some of the caring activities that can bag you brand VIP experiences through EARNT).

Taking kindness and turning it into both a virtue and valued currency, EARNT recognises acts of goodness and reciprocates them with exclusive rewards.

It sounds too good to be true, but I can assure you it isn’t. I know, because I took part in an EARNT event last night. I faced my fears of public speaking and, along with other professionals from across the North West, shared my career journey with a room full of young people looking to break into the industry. It felt great to do something good for my community. So great in fact, that I sort of forgot about the VIP experience that would come after - I’d made some amazing new connections, helped to inspire the next generation, and challenged myself in new ways. I was on cloud nine.

Giving back to our community is something we all say we wish we could do more of, but never really put into action. Thanks to EARNT, the hard part is taken care of. The activity is arranged on your behalf, and you’re rewarded for giving up your precious time. How amazing is that?

2024 07 04 Earnt Lauren And Lavena — **EARNT Founders, Lauren Scott-Harris & Lavina Liyanage** Image: @earnt_/Instagram

By connecting with consumers and brands with causes, EARNT creates a cycle that benefits each stakeholder by uplifting communities as a whole. Brands do better business and the army of volunteers are doing something good for the people or the landscape of their local vicinity, further improving their own mental health and the mental health of those around them. It’s quite literally a win-win scenario.

Volunteers can take part in three easy steps:

THE DROP

Keep an eye out for exclusive offers from brand partners on the EARNT website.

THE CAUSE

Sign up and participate in one of the worthwhile events that give back to your community.

THE EXTRA

Once you’ve volunteered, you’ll get something back. Enjoy your exclusive experience in the knowledge that you’ve done good along the way.

2024 07 04 Earnt Litter Pick — **Volunteers taking part in a 2-hour litter pick to clean up the banks of the Thames in exchange for tickets for The River Cafe** Image: @earnt_/Instagram

To launch the project in Manchester, this month, public volunteers from a range of professions can donate their time to mentor young people in association with StateTalking; a cause working to raise the aspirations of Manchester’s youth.

Similar to it's London siblings, The Anthologist Manchester will continue what it has started down south earlier this year by acting as a space to connect different generations of the community, providing relateable role models for children at state schools across Manchester to encourage growth, relationships and potential mentorship.

In exchange for their time, volunteers will receive tickets to The Anthologist Manchester’s first Taste Film session - an ‘eat what you see’ cinema-dining experience.

2024 07 04 Earnt Anthologist — **The Anthologist is the first brand in Manchester to partner with EARNT** Image: @theanthologistmanchester/Instagram

More drops from partner brands are expected to launch over the next few months.

If you’re interested in reconnecting with your community and giving back - whether it's for the unforgettable experiences and rewards, or just because - visit the EARNT website to find out more about how you can become a VIP volunteer today.

Read again: This city: Ryebank Fields row latest, Uni beauty, £3.5m waste of money, a deserved OBE

Get the latest news to your inbox

Get the latest food & drink news and exclusive offers by email by signing up to our mailing list. This is one of the ways that Confidentials remains free to our readers and by signing up you help support our high quality, impartial and knowledgable writers. Thank you!