Great British Beer Festival Winter 2018 supports local charity

The charity of CAMRA’s Great British Beer Festival Winter in 2018 was Age UK Norwich and attendees raised £3,651.

Emma Roper, Fundraising Manager, commented: ‘We are delighted to have raised such a generous donation which will help us to continue to widen our support for the older people of Norwich.’

Emma Roper of Age UK Norwich receives the cheque for £3651 from Chris Thomas, Treasurer of N&N CAMRA.

Age UK Norwich is dedicated to making later life the best it can be for anyone aged 50+.

They have been providing services to the people of Norwich, their carers and family members, for over 70 years, including: activity groups and social clubs; free advice; and dementia care support groups and services.

The charity also provides a volunteer befriending scheme.
 
‘Befriending for older people who are lonely and in need of a friendly chat and a bit of company can be a very rewarding experience’, explains Susan Ringwood, Chief Executive Officer for Age UK Norwich. ‘We currently have 197 volunteers helping locally and we welcome anyone who wishes to volunteer through our charity.’

If you would like more information about Age UK Norwich, you can visit their Information and Advice Team, located in the charity’s shop at 60 London Street, Norwich NR2 1JX, or call the team on Norwich 496333.

Martin Ward, Great British Beer Festival Winter Organiser commented: ‘We are delighted to support Age UK Norwich.  We all become older and the services provided by the charity are in great need and their drop-in advice centre is a great local resource.’

The festival returns to Norwich in February 2019, for the half-term week and the 2019 chosen charity is The Benjamin Foundation.

The Great British Beer Festival Winter starts on Tuesday, 19th February 2019, at The Halls, Norwich, opening with a CAMRA members-only preview from 5.30pm.  It is then open to everyone from 12noon until 10.30pm every day until Saturday 23rd February 2019.

The festival will feature a range of ales from traditional dark ales to light hoppy ales, with hot food available and live music.  Entrance is free to CAMRA members and non-members can pay on the door.

There is also a Fringe Festival taking place throughout February in local pubs and venues.

For more information about The Festival and The Fringe visit winter.gbbf.org.uk.

Fat Cat Brewery Tap in Norwich is Norfolk’s Pub of The Year

Norfolk members of CAMRA (the Campaign for Real Ale) have selected The Fat Cat Brewery Tap, in Lawson Road, Norwich, as their 2018 Norfolk Pub of the Year. 

To add to their accolades, the Norwich pub has also been awarded City Pub of the Year 2018 and Branch’s overall Pub of the Year 2018 by the local CAMRA branch and have previously won the same awards as recently as 2016. 

Landlords Mark White and Laura Hedley-White took over the pub, formerly known as the Cider Shed, and is part of the Fat Cat group of pubs. 

Mark said: ‘When we won the local CAMRA award in 2016 we thought we had reached a pinnacle, but now having won the Norfolk county Pub of the Year 2018 we are absolutely amazed and delighted.’ 

Laura also added: ‘We couldn’t have done it without our dedicated staff who create the fun and friendly atmosphere and push us to do the best we can.  It really does feel like one big family.’

The Fat Cat Brewery Tap is a characterful real ale hotspot serving its own Fat Cat beer and a selection of around 20 other real ales, plus 12 keg beers, around 10 traditional ciders and perries plus bottled and canned beer and a range of wines.

Described as a ‘year-round beer festival with live music and the most enthusiastic managers you could wish to find’ the venue also offers a popular range of mother chips and sharing cheese platters in colourful, original, rustic surroundings. 

In second position came the Kings Arms, of Shouldham (West Norfolk Branch); in third place was the Tombstone Saloon, in Gt Yarmouth (East Norfolk Branch); and in fourth place came the Old Kings Head in Brockdish (Mid Anglia Branch).

Martin Ward, of Norwich & Norfolk CAMRA, commented: ‘All pubs were of a very high standard and we would like to pass on our thanks to all those who were involved in the scoring and judging.’