THE annual Kidderminster Beer and Cider Festival raised more than £500 for the Severn Area Rescue Association.

With the Wyre Forest Campaign for Real Ale’s 2016 festival being themed as a celebration of the Staffs and Worcs Canal it was only natural the local charity was chosen as SARA – an inland water rescue service based at Kidderminster fire station.

The money was raised through the sale of Breweriana – pump clips, bar runners, promotional games and t-shirts – generously donated by local publicans, breweries and CAMRA members and organised by local member Peter Doncaster, together with unspent beer tokens and cash donations from visitors over the festival’s three days between May 26 and May 28.

A total of £582.67 was raised during the festival.

In addition, SARA ran a raffle during the festival which resulted in them raising a futher £745, bringing the total to more than £1,300.