Be part of the story
Real ale is just the start. Whether you fancy pulling up a stool at a branch social, lending a hand at a beer festival, or campaigning to save a much-loved local, there is a place for you in South Cheshire CAMRA.
Join CAMRA today →What is CAMRA?
The Campaign for Real Ale was founded by four enthusiasts back in 1971, and is now one of the most successful consumer organisations in Europe, representing beer drinkers and pub-goers right across the UK. Read more about who we are and what CAMRA stands for on the national website.
Our vision: quality real ale, cider and perry, with thriving pubs in every community.
What we stand for
We promote and campaign for three things at the heart of British life:
Quality real ale, cider & perry
Championing the production, availability and enjoyment of well-kept real ale, cider and perry, and the brewers and producers who make it.
Pubs & clubs as community hubs
Protecting pubs and clubs as social centres and a cherished part of the UK’s cultural heritage, places where generations meet and connect.
Responsible, sociable drinking
Promoting the benefits of responsible social drinking, and the simple joy of sharing good beer with good company.
Campaigns you can get behind
From saving local pubs to fairer beer tax, CAMRA campaigns on the issues that matter to everyone who loves a proper pint. Lend your voice:
Save Your Local Pub
Has a pub near you closed or been put up for sale and development? CAMRA is on your side, to help communities fight to keep their local alive.
Take action →Political Campaigning
Beer tax, business rates, the Surrender Principle and more. CAMRA lobbies government for a fairer deal for pubs and drinkers.
See the campaigns →Score Your Beer
Every pint you rate through the National Beer Scoring System helps shape the Good Beer Guide. The easiest way to campaign, one sip at a time!
Start scoring →Volunteer voices
Everything we do is powered by volunteers. Here is what you get out of it, the many ways to help, and a word from two of our committee.
Everything our branch does, from the Good Beer Guide selections to the Crewe Rail Ale Festival, is powered entirely by volunteers. None of us are paid; we do it because we love good beer, good pubs and the people who make them tick. In return you get a proper social life built around real ale, a genuine say in which local pubs get recognised, the chance to learn new skills, and the quiet satisfaction of helping keep our pubs and breweries thriving.
You do not need to be an expert, and there is no minimum commitment. Whether you can spare an hour a year or an evening a month, there is a way to get involved.
Ways you can help
- Score your beer. A few taps on the CAMRA app shapes the Good Beer Guide.
- Come to a social. Pub trips and branch meetings with like-minded people from all walks of life, all are welcome. See the diary.
- Lend a hand at a festival. Not just pulling pints; plenty of roles are behind the scenes, from set-up to logistics, so there is something to suit everyone.
- Flag a pub at risk or a great pint we should know about, through contact us.
- Join the committee and help steer what the branch does next.
- Spread the word by following and sharing us on social media.
Not sure it is for you? Pick a card below to hear from one of our committee in their own words.
Why I volunteer for CAMRA
I joined CAMRA twelve years ago, following my partner’s lead. He had already been a member for more than a decade, and to begin with it was the social side that drew me in: beer festivals up and down the country, good friends, good pints and even better company. What was not to like?
It took a while for the campaigning bug to bite. About eighteen months ago I started coming along to branch meetings, and nine months ago I took the plunge and joined the committee as social media coordinator. Getting more involved, and now branching out regionally across Cheshire too, has given me a much deeper appreciation of what CAMRA actually stands for: our pubs, our pints and our people.
Our pubs are an institution. They are community hubs, the place where the quiz night, the wake and the first pint all happen, and keeping them open genuinely matters. But I care just as much about what is in the glass. I love that CAMRA champions local, independent breweries. LocAle supports the local economy, cuts down the beer miles between brewery and bar, and, frankly, independent beer is just better. The smaller breweries are the ones doing the small, experimental runs with the genuinely interesting flavours.
I am a cask fan through and through, but I also appreciate what keykeg brings to the table, particularly for getting those higher-ABV stouts out to more of us. Good beer is a broad church.
And I always make a point of filling in my beer scores. Recognition in the Good Beer Guide matters for our pubs and our brewers, and that only comes about if members like me do our bit.
That, in a nutshell, is why I volunteer.
Gemma GrimesSocial Media Coordinator, South Cheshire CAMRA
So many ways to get involved
There are all sorts of roles you can take on, and you can lean into whatever interests you. Beer festivals are the obvious one, and there is far more to them than pulling pints: from ordering the beer and getting the casks ready, to the technical side, front of house, or simply helping out wherever a hand is needed.
Beyond the festivals, you could join the committee in a role that suits you, help survey pubs for the branch and towards the Pub of the Year (which starts locally and works its way up to a national final), or even join the regional beer tasting panel, judging beers and spotting off-flavours (a filthy job, but someone has to do it) for the Champion Beer of Britain awards.
It is a brilliant way to learn more about beer and the industry, and training is available for every aspect of volunteering.
At times it can be serious and hard work, but mostly it is interesting, educational, sociable and a great deal of fun.
Terry BlakemanGood Beer Guide Coordinator, South Cheshire CAMRA
Get out and about
From hundreds of beer festivals nationwide to our own branch socials right here in South Cheshire, there is always something on.
Our Branch Diary
Meetings, socials, pub trips and tastings across the branch area. See what is coming up locally.
View the branch diary →Festivals Nationwide
Hundreds of CAMRA beer festivals run across the UK every year, many with free entry for members. Find one near you.
Browse national events →Pop along and say hello
All members are welcome at our regular branch meetings and socials. No experience needed, no commitment required. Come for the beer, stay for the company. It is the friendliest way to find out what we do and meet the people behind the branch.
See when we next meet →Ready to lend a hand?
The best place to start is a friendly chat. Get in touch with the committee and we will help you find a way in, whatever your interests and however much time you have.