Organisers of the Alton Summer Beer Festival in June presented cheques to this year’s beneficiaries in the Wessex Arts Centre at Alton College.

Charities receiving cash raised by drinkers were the 3rd Alton Scout Group, 8th Alton Scouts, Alton Community Association, Alton Hockey Club, Alton Local Food Initiative, Alton Trampoline Club, Broadlands Group Riding for the Disabled, The Butts Primary School, Dementia Friendly Alton, Hart Wildlife Rescue, Home-Start and The Kings Arms.

June’s event was the 35th since the Alton Beer Festival started in 2002 and the total raised has now reached £255,800. Hart Wildlife Rescue and The Butts Primary School were nominated for support by sponsors Triple fff Brewery and Bourne Estate Agents respectively.

The awards for the summer festival’s best beers, voted for by drinkers at the festival, were also presented at the ceremony.

The Slaphead Shield, awarded to the champion beer and dedicated to John Bodiam, an Alton man who played a significant part in the revival of real ale in the town, went to the Dancing Man Brewery for its Big Casino IPA.

The Silver Award went to the Triple fff Brewery for its specially brewed Jubilee ale. The Bronze Award was shared among four breweries – the Ascot Brewing Company’s House of Windsor, Fallen Acorn’s Hole Hearted, Longdog Brewery’s Lovely Nancy and the Urban Island Brewing Company’s Big City, Small Island.

Details for submitting a request for future donations can be found on the Alton Beer Festival website at www.altonbeerfestival.org.uk and the next round of applications will be reviewed after the next festival early in 2023.