Melksham fundraisers are hoping for another sell-out success at their annual beer festival next month.
The Wilts & Berks Canal Trust is due to hold its ‘Winter Ales, Cider & Sausage Festival’ in the Assembly Hall on Saturday November 2nd. Tickets, just £5 per person including a commemorative glass, are available from the tourist information centre, The Bell Inn at Lacock or on the door.
The fun lasts from 12noon until 4pm and will feature 10 real ales, four traditional ciders and a range of sausages from local producers, including gluten-free and vegan options. Visitors can also play a range of pub games.
The event has been organised by the Melksham, Chippenham & Calne branch of the charity.
Branch chairman Dave Maloney said, “This will be our fifth beer festival and it’s always one of our most popular fundraising events of the year. It’s open to everyone, regardless of whether or not they’re members of the charity, and is a great way for people to enjoy a relaxing afternoon with their friends – last year they drank almost 400 pints and ate all of the 160 hot-dogs!”
Profits from the event will support the ongoing restoration of the former waterway from the Kennet & Avon Canal near Semington to the Thames & Severn Canal near Cricklade and the River Thames near Abingdon.
Locally, the charity has submitted a planning application to create a new ‘Melksham Link’ where boats would travel through the town using the River Avon due to the original route being lost under modern housing. The Trust has also purchased land along the former towpath north of Melksham in the hope of developing a safe route for walkers and cyclists to visit Lacock, and has already restored a significant stretch near Reybridge, which now offers boatrides during the summer.
For further information on joining the local branch, visit www.wbct.org.uk
