CAMRA to stage auction in aid of flood victims

January 20, 2010: The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) is to stage a charity auction at its National Winter Ales Festival on Friday, raising 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, among other participating celebrities.

The auction will take place at the festival on Friday from 7pm. All proceeds will go to the Cumbria Community Foundation, a fund set up in November to give aid to individuals and groups in the county who suffered due to the severe floods.

Festival organiser, Graham Donning, 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, and we’d like to thank all those who have kindly donated items to the auction. We just hope our support will help to 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."

Jennings 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 10 people.

"It is hard to imagine the devastation caused by flooding in such a short space of time," said Mr Jackson. "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 ongoing 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."