Beer fest raised £2.3K for charities

The team from East West Fest are celebrating raising £2,300 for three good causes.

The festival, which was staged at The Red Shed in May, raised £1,500 to Candlelighters, £500 for Newton Hill Cricket Club and £300 for Race for Life.

The Trans-Pennine ale event was organised by Malcolm Bastow, of Five Towns Brewery in Outwood. He was helped by his friends, including Manchester beer blogger Jim Cullen who sorted the beers from the ‘West’.

Last Friday some of the festival team reassembled at the Red Shed to present a cheque to Rebecca Swithenbank from Candlelighters.

Mr Bastow, 58, said: “I’m really pleased with the amount we managed to raise. Every year the same people volunteer to help. It’s a real team effort. Without everybody’s help this event wouldn’t happen. Thank you to everyone who contributed.”

The festival will return in 2019. Mr Bastow is also celebrating the tenth anniversary of his brewery with a tap takeover at Harry’s Bar, off Westgate, from 4pm on Saturday, September 8.