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MENDIP TIMES
Another record year for real ale festival fundraising
WEDMORE Real Ale Festival celebrated another record year by distributing £20,000 to local worthy causes. Some 16 organisations were handed cheques at the annual presentation evening, making it a fantastic comeback year for the 20th festival. When it was last held in 2019, the total raised was £19,000. After missing last year, the festival has now raised £226,320 in total. The beneficiaries include Children's Hospice South West, Weston Hospicecare, Weston-super-Mare Samaritans, Wedmore First School PTA and Wedmore & Axbridge Community Health Fund, which received £3,000. Health fund secretary, Shirley Wederell, said: “On behalf of the trustees I would like to publicly thank the committee of the Wedmore Real Ale Festival for their generous donation. Also many thanks for their hospitality of a hog roast supper. “Also huge congratulations to them for all the support they give annually by financially supporting local charities.” Festival committee member, James Turbitt, said: “Everyone welcomed the return of the festival with open arms, helping make it one of the largest local social events in Wedmore. “This fundraising feat would not be possible without our
Some of the team
PAGE 78 • MENDIP TIMES • NOVEMBER 2021
Some of the recipients
sponsors and our committed and enthusiastic team of volunteers who help bolster the organising committee to keep the festival running smoothly: those 6,500 pints and 246 wine and prosecco bottles don’t pour themselves!” This year’s beneficiaries were: Wedmore in Bloom £350.00 Let's Make Wedmore Sparkle £400.00 Green Wedmore £400.00 Holy Trinity Church, Blackford £400.00 Wedmore Scout Group £450.00 Wedmore Tuesday Club £500.00 Blackford Village Hall £700.00 Weston-super-Mare Samaritans £850.00 Weston Hospicecare £1,000.00 Wedmore First School Academy & Nursery £1,000.00 Isle Of Wedmore Junior Football Club £1,000.00 Hugh Sexey C of E Middle School £1,000.00 Children's Hospice South West £2,500.00 Wedmore School PTA £2,750.00 Somewhere House (Somerset) Limited £2,950.00 Wedmore & Axbridge Community Health Fund £3,000.00 The donation to Wedmore PTA includes their £750 share of the takings from the festival raffle, which they helped to run, which generated a record breaking £2,025 worth of takings.
