Thousands of revellers descended on St Austell Brewery for its much-anticipated annual Celtic Beer Festival in November. The day-long festival transformed the brewery’s historic Victorian cellars into a bustling venue, with five bars offering more than 100 beers from over 50 UK breweries who generously donated their beer, accompanied by live music throughout the day.
A remarkable £12,000 was raised for charity during the event, thanks to ticket sales from the 1,300+ attendees who joined in with the community spirit of the festival.
The primary goal of the event is to raise funds for the St Austell Brewery Charitable Trust, which supports vital causes across the South West.
Since its launch in 2003, the Charitable Trust has raised over £1,000,000, aiding organisations and individuals in need. In 2024 alone, the Trust donated more than £95,000 to various causes, including youth mental health services, the air ambulance, and local families requiring support or equipment.
The annual Celtic Beer Festival remains the Trust’s flagship fundraising event, alongside various other efforts from its pub teams and individuals, such as pub quizzes, sponsored walks, and a charity gala with a silent auction which raised a huge £47,000. Team members from its 160+ pub estate also generously take part in various challenges to raise additional funds each year.
Georgina Young, Brewing Director at St Austell Brewery, said: “The 23rd Celtic Beer Festival was a highlight in our calendar where we all get together to celebrate every wonderful style of beer out there, from porters to sours, lagers to seaweed-salted bitters. There was something new for everyone to try.
“What’s more, it was all for a great cause, with the money raised going back to brilliant causes across the South West via our Charitable Trust.”
The St Austell Brewery Charitable Trust accepts applications from across the South West, from Cornwall up to Somerset all year-round. It is now encouraging individuals and charities across the region to apply for grants to kickstart their year. Examples of where the money has helped in past years include funding home equipment needed for people with disabilities, as well as buying an adaptive surf wheelchair for a small water charity in Bude. The primary purpose of the Trust is to support local campaigns for organisations designed to help people in need, or to support individuals who don’t have access to charity donations in the ‘normal’ way.
Those interested in applying for a grant from the St Austell Brewery Charitable Trust can do so by visiting: staustellbrewery.co.uk/charitable-trust.
