KNUTSFORD Beer Festival is celebrating after raising a record sum of £12,000.
The money will be donated to three charities.
Hope Central and the Toy Appeal will each receive £5,500 and £1,000 will go to Knutsford Royal May Day.
READ > Fury over human poo discovered dumped in woods at The Heath
Chairman Andrew Malloy said: “We are absolutely blown away by the success of this year’s Beer Festival.
“This is the most we’ve ever raised.
“We expected a pretty lean year this with the cost of living crisis so we are really surprised and delighted that we managed to raise even more money than last year for our nominated charities.
“Hope Central and the Toy Appeal are excellent local charities and we know that this donation will go a long way for them.
“We are just incredibly grateful to our sponsors for their support, and of course to all our volunteers that run the event as well as the thousand or so people who come along every year to sample the beers and enjoy the festival.”
Local glass bottle manufacturer, Encirc, became lead sponsors after an appeal in the Guardian.
Kevin Jardine, festival sponsorship lead, said: “We knew that this would be our most challenging year raising sponsorship, so I approached the Knutsford Guardian to ask for local businesses to sponsor us.
“And it worked! We got a call almost straight away. Local resident and managing director for Encirc, Adrian Curry, got in touch with us after his wife saw our call for support in the Knutsford Guardian.
“We were so pleased to have a company of this calibre get on board and support us.
“It’s made a huge impact with our fundraising and with them making glass bottles, it was a no-brainer to add a bottle bar this year!”
Mr Curry, managing director of Encirc, said:“It was fantastic to be the main sponsor and to see the event be so successful in raising a great amount of money for charity.
“We wanted to be a part of this year’s event to demonstrate the role that our decarbonised glass bottles will play in the sustainable future for beer packaging.
“We raise a glass to all those who organised the festival and have made such a positive impact on the chosen charities as a result.”
More than 1,000 visitors attended the three-day festival last month in Egerton Place.
With 40 hand-pulled beers, a wine and gin bar run by Morgan Edwards plus a new Encirc bottle bar, sales were higher than ever.
Ian Robertson, of Hope Central, said: “Knutsford Beer Festival is a great event which is enjoyed by the community every year.
“Hope Central are so grateful for the much needed financial donation that it has made for our work within that community.
“The money will be used to provide food for those in need and to support the groups and courses that we run, that enable people to escape the causes of poverty and build a brighter future.
“Thank you to all who worked so hard to raise this generous donation."
Dee Drake, founder of the Toy Appeal, said: “In 2023 we are hoping to support 12,000 kids.
“This amazing donation will support 220 of those children which is probably the number of sacks we will get requests for from Knutsford Academy and the Welcome Centre.
“It’s great that these funds will go to support Knutsford places.
“Huge thanks for supporting us again.”
The festival has raised £49,040 since it started in 2014.
Andrew said: “Next year will be our 10th anniversary so we are excited to get planning underway for that.
“Watch this space for more updates. If you would like to get involved as a sponsor, volunteer, or offer your venue for next year, please get in touch.”
To contact the team visit knutsfordbeerfestival.org.uk
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here