CAMRA, the Campaign for Real Ale, has announced it will hold a charity auction at the National Winter Ales Festival, Manchester, on Friday January 22nd to raise money for the victims of the Cumbria floods.
Held in conjunction with Jennings Brewery of Cockermouth and Cumbria Tourism, CAMRA will auction off signed special edition copies of the popular Cumbrian Breweries poster*, developed by CAMRA's Westmorland branch, as well as mystery lots donated by UK brewers and supporting organisations.
Copies of the Cumbrian Breweries poster have been signed ready for auction by broadcasters Julia Bradbury, Richard Madeley, Judy Finnigan and Eric Robson, amongst other participating celebrities.
The auction will take place at the CAMRA National Winter Ales Festival on Friday January 22nd, from 7pm. All proceeds will go to the Cumbria Community Foundation, a fund set up in November 2009 to give aid to individuals and groups in the county who suffered due to the severe floods.
Graham Donning, CAMRA National Winter Ales Festival organiser, said:
'This is our simple way of giving back to a local area which has contributed so much to the British beer and pub industry. Cumbrian breweries such as Jennings, Hawkshead, Beckstones, Coniston and Great Gable are but a few Cumbrian-based names present at the Winter Ales Festival this week; in total there are 26 breweries in the county, making it one of the most prolific brewing areas in the UK.
'We've no doubt the auction will be positively received by the Festival-goers tomorrow, and we'd like to thank all those who have kindly donated items to the auction. We just hope our support will help reinvigorate tourism in Cumbria, and give aid to the many historic pubs and breweries affected by the floods in November, most notably Jennings brewery, who were forced to divert part of their brewing schedule to their sister breweries as a consequence.'
At the auction, Jennings brewery will be taking an active role in the auctioneering, with Marketing Director Peter Jackson and Head Brewer Jeremy Pettman assisting in auctioning off the lots, and the brewery kindly donating a beer hamper and a 'Brewer for a Day' prize for ten people. Peter Jackson said:
'It is hard to imagine the devastation caused by flooding in such a short space of time. Many people including workers at Jennings Brewery were badly affected by the floods and continue to be so. At Jennings Castle Brewery there was significant damage, and repairs are on-going but we are hopeful to recommence brewing shortly. We would like to thank CAMRA for their support and hope the auction will be a real success and help the people and businesses, including pubs, that were affected by this tragedy.'
The National Winter Ales Festival charity auction takes place at the venue (Sheridan Suite, Oldham Road, Manchester, M40 8EA) from 7pm on Friday January 22nd. Press and photo opportunities will be available. For more information please contact the CAMRA press office at jon.howard@camra.org.uk or on 01727 798443.
ENDS
Notes to editors:
*CAMRA's Cumbrian Breweries special edition posters can be viewed and bought online from the CAMRA website at www.camra.org.uk/shop or Cumbria Tourism at www.golakes.co.uk/shop.
For more information on the National Winter Ales Festival, visit- www.alefestival.org.uk
The Cumbria Community Foundation is a fund set up to administer support to individuals and families and to voluntary groups who suffered in the flooding on November 19th 2009. For more information on the Foundation, visit- www.cumbriafoundation.org
The National Winter Ales Festival is jointly sponsored by the Manchester Evening News and CityLife.co.uk.
Other sponsors at the Festival for 2010 include Fuller's, Cask Marque, Marston's, J.W. Lees, Frederic Robinson, Hydes, Howard Town, Durham Brewery, Wells and Young's, Budvar UK, JD Wetherspoon, Moorhouse's, Festival Glass ltd, Bollington Brewing Co, Theakston, Worthington White Shield, Thwaites Brewery, Joseph Holt ltd, Allgates Brewery, Hawkshead Brewery Ltd, Marble Brewery, Bernard Beers, Thornbridge Brewery, Leek Brewery, Robert Cain Brewery ltd, Three B's Brewery, and the Kelham Island Brewery.
Festival Opening Times and Admission Prices -Wednesday 20th- 2:30pm-5:00pm, Trade session (invitation only) -Wednesday 20th- 5:00pm-10:30pm, £2 (£1 concession) (Champion Winter Beers available to the public) -Thursday 21st- 12:00pm-10:30pm, £2 (£1 concession) -Friday 22nd-12:00-4:30pm, £3 -Friday 22nd- 4:30pm-10:30pm, £5 -Saturday 23rd- 12:00-10:30pm, £3
For further information:
Jon Howard, CAMRA Press Office, 07939 425471
For further information regarding Jennings please contact Dan Houle on 01926 463330 or by email, dan@getvital.co.uk
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