Beer festival breaks records in funds raised

Founder Alan Ashbee organised last weekend’s event with Friends of Collingham School’s Olly Townley and announced the sum raised for Prader-Willi Syndrome Association and the village school, and £400 from a raffle for the Orchard Gardens Trust.

Alan said: “The grand total raised this year for the three good causes will be in excess of £10,000, up 50 per cent on last year.

“All three beneficiaries wish to thank all the sponsors, suppliers, vendors and musicians for their support and especially to the regular CRAF volunteers that travel from far afield each year plus the new volunteers from East Keswick beer fest and the Friends of Collingham School.”

The Friday night format was changed to a quiz night with 20 teams of six competing over two rounds of questions presented by Quizmaster Kenneth Cambell. The winning team was Metcalfe Builders.

A special Gin Ends Bar was available with a selection of 28 gins donated by The Gin Shack and Meltham Beer Festival.

Saturday’s event fell on World Gin Day with seven gins being served, including Leeds Gin Summer Fruits and Warner Edwards Victoria Rhubarb Gin which sold out before tea.

Nearly 2,000 pints of beer and cider sold with 500 glasses of Pimm’s, wine and fizz with 1,000 gins were sold at the event.

Live music was from Ross and CRAF regulars Matt Gouland and Reggie & the Screamers .

Another Collingham Real Ale Festival is planned to mark the 100 year end of WWI as part of the Collingham and Linton Remembersong project on November 3.

And November 3 will see all beers served from wooden casks, a fair number made by Local Master Cooper Alistair Simms into enamel mugs.