https://samsfriendscheltenham.com/
Following two years of being unable to run in-person fundraising events due to Covid-19, we were delighted to be back in action with our first ever Winter Craft Beer Festival, held at the recently modernised ‘Pip & Jims’ – otherwise known as St Philip & St James’ in Leckhampton, Cheltenham.
It was a wonderful event, held over two days at the end of February in this stunning, recently modernised, venue. The sold-out Friday evening session saw 250 craft beer drinkers kept happy with an amazing selection of beers, cider and pulled pork street food. The close to capacity Saturday afternoon session continued in the same manner, with chilled out smiling faces everywhere relaxing around the tables located throughout this amazing space, filling it with excited chatter.
Our self-built, bespoke, ten tap keg bar was a major success, enabling the thirsty drinkers to put a big dent in the 20 different superb craft beers that we had on offer over the two days. Although we managed to completely empty quite a few kegs, we still managed to have a good selection serving at the end of each session.
Thanks to the generous discounts offered by many of the brewers (including Cheltenham’s DEYA, Stroud Brewery and the Bristol based breweries Arbor Ales, Bristol Beer Factory, Good Chemistry, Left Handed Giant, Lost and Grounded and New Bristol) and the sponsorship of key parts of the festival by local businesses (including Cambray Property Management, Favourite Beers and Nick Griffith estate Agents) it is looking like we will have made a profit of over £6,000 for the Cheltenham branch of the Samaritans. This is an organisation that provides an essential service to the local area, one that has of course been even more essential over the last couple of trying years.
We have had great feedback from ‘Pip & Jims’, who were so pleased with how it all went that they have agreed to host us again. We are currently planning a ‘Beers of the World’ festival for November and hope to repeat the Winter Craft Beer Festival again next February. After a two-year absence, we will also be back running the 15th iteration of our summer ‘Cheltenham Craft Beer and Cider Festival’ at the Old Patesians on Saturday 11th June.
Should anyone be interested in sponsoring future fundraising events, please contact the Friends’ Chairman, Leigh Norwood by email at leigh.norwood@favouritebeers.com
