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Noah’s Ark were the festival charity at the 2023 Calderdale Beer and Cider Festival, held at the Viaduct Theatre, Dean Clough at the end of September.

In addition to the money raised, an additional £475 was obtained via the charity’s independently organised raffle.

Breweries supplying the festival generously donated a wide-range of items to the charity stall which was staffed by Noah’s Ark Centre members. Brewery items donated included bottled and canned beers, items of brewery clothing, pump clips and glasses.

Andrew Sykes and Kelly from the Noah’s Ark Centre pictured with John Hartley, festival organiser (left) and Edward Lee, co-festival organiser (right)

Money was also donated by customers in the form of unused beer tokens, glass deposits and cash donations and Nightjar Brew Co owner, Matt Bell, also suggested that a proportion of money from a donated cask of Freebird should be added to charity funds.

The amount achieved exceeded the overall total raised at any other Calderdale Beer and Cider Festival and despite rail strikes, the festival as a whole achieved the highest surplus in the history of the Halifax and Calderdale CAMRA branch.

The Noah’s Ark Centre is a mental health charity which was established in Ovenden in 2000 and supports people throughout Calderdale. It was created to improve the social conditions and emotional well-being in the local community and offers a range of support services that no one else offers, including counselling and psychotherapy, peer support, work and volunteering opportunities, money and debt advice, financial capability training, employment support and more recently a foodbank.

Their debt advice project is one of the most successful in the UK.

The Calderdale Beer and Cider Festival steering group committee always choose a charity that receives little or no Government funding and relies on donations in order to survive.

Over the last six festival years, in excess of £6,500 has been raised for charities in Hebden Bridge, Mytholmroyd, Halifax and Luddendenfoot.

Thanks to all the breweries that donated items to the charity stall and to customers for their generous donations.

Halifax charity receives donation from Halifax and Calderdale CAMRA branch