South East Essex Camra

Introduction

The South East Essex branch of the Campaign for Real Ale (abbreviated to CAMRA) was set up in 1974 to pursue CAMRA's objectives at a local level.

We are made up of over 600 members living within our branch area; mixture of male and female, young and not-so-young, from different occupations and backgrounds, but all having one thing in common - the love of good quality cask conditioned beer.

We hold monthly branch and committee meetings, where branch business is conducted, as well as a full calendar of social activities.

We run the Rochford Beer Festival that is held annually at the Freight House in November and the Rochford Cider & Perry Festival at the Horse & Groom in September.

Branch meetings.

Branch meetings are held on the first Tuesday of every month. Here we learn about what's happening within our branch area, for example:

upcoming beer festivals
pub closures and refurbishments
updates from CAMRA HQ on items of national interest such as changes to laws and current campaigns
we discuss and select entries for the "Good Beer Guide" and local awards such as "Pub of the Year" and organise campaigns on a local level when necessary. Everyone is encouraged to participate which often leads to lively debates.

As these meetings are held in either a pub or club, there are many opportunities to sample the ales on offer during the frequent beer breaks. There may also be a real cider or perry available.

You do not have to be a member to attend our branch meetings so why not come along to one. See our Branch Diary on the Events page for dates.

Pub-crawls and coach trips form the mainstay of our activities. These can either be local or to places outside of our branch, and revolve around beer or cider and perry. We also hold social meetings at particular events such as the "Great British Beer Festival" and a Christmas social.

For further information, please see our Branch Diary on the Events page or Beer Festivals on the Beer & Cider Festivals page .

There is a serious side to being a member. The threat of pub and brewery closure, the high rate of duty levied on beer, the reality that nine out of ten pints sold in Britain contain less than 100% liquid, all give cause for concern. They restrict drinkers' choice, affect consumer rights and can damage communities.

CAMRA has often been described as Europe's most successful consumer organization. This is no coincidence. With over 85,000 members nationwide, all passionate about real ale, CAMRA is a formidable force to be reckoned with! We play our part by promoting and publicising good quality real ale and cider at every opportunity; by actively campaigning to save pubs and breweries from closure, both locally and nationally; by seeking to preserve the historical, cultural and architectural character of pubs in our area; and by protecting and improving consumer rights.

If you would like further information or just a chat about our branch, please come along to any of our activities or contact one of our committee members using the details below. For more information about CAMRA, please see www.camra.org.uk

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