A special edition beer brewed in Lancashire — in memory of family and friends who have passed away from cancer — has raised more than £3,700 for charity.
Macmillan’s local fundraising manager Louise Osgood with Farm Yard Brew Co’s Steven Holmes (left) and Danny Ellidge (right)
Farm Yard Brew Co, based in Cockerham near Lancaster, created and produced the beer. Many Hands Make Light Work is a 6% New England IPA in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support.
The beer was produced in partnership with five other breweries — Loch Lomond (Dumbarton), Neon Raptor (Nottingham), Old Street (London), Tartarus (Leeds), and Twisted Wheel (Chorley). Fifty pence from every can sold was donated to the cancer charity.
Since they came together for the big charity collaboration last November, they have produced more than 6,000 litres of the beer, which has sold in more than 70 bars across the UK. Packed full of tropical flavours with a big hazy body, the brew has so far raised £3,788 to help people living with cancer.
Danny Ellidge, executive director at Farm Yard Brew Co, said: “Craft beer is a big community and we all try and help each other. Unfortunately, like so many people, we’ve all been affected by cancer in one way or another, so this was a great opportunity to all come together and collaborate on a special fundraising project like this.”
Farm Yard Brew Co was founded by Steven Holmes, who instead of becoming a sixth-generation farmer decided to turn his home brewing hobby — along with the family farm — into a successful brewery business.
Today, the business employs four staff and produces around 400,000 litres of a beer a year. Over 2.4 million cans have come off the production line in the last five years. Last year, Farm Yard scooped a top industry accolade after being named the UK’s best independent craft brewery taproom at the SIBA Business Awards.
Danny added: “We have been absolutely blown away with how popular the beer has been, as well as people being so generous and wanting to support such a worthwhile cause like Macmillan. And to have raised almost £400,000, which would pay for around 115 hours of nursing, or 11 Macmillan grants, is absolutely amazing.
“In fact, the whole project has been so positive and, because it has gone so well, we are planning on making a special brew annually to raise vital funds for Macmillan, so they can continue to support more people affected by cancer when they need it most.”
• For further information about Farm Yard Brew Co, or to buy a fundraising beer, go to: farmyardbrew.co.
