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
The
views expressed on this site are not necessarily those of the Campaign
for Real Ale Ltd, the South East Essex branch of CAMRA or the Webmaster.
Whilst
every effort is made to ensure that the information on this site is
accurate and up to date, no responsibility for errors and omissions can
be accepted.
Links to external servers do not imply any official CAMRA endorsement
of the opinions or ideas expressed therein, or guarantee the validity
of the information provided.
Links to commercial sites are in no way an endorsement of any vendor's
products or services.
©2009 - CAMRA South East Essex. All Rights Reserved.