|
Mark Hutchinson, Webmaster, Forum Admin
In the late 60's, towards my last term at school, I found a pleasant beer
totally different to any others I had tasted. It happened to be Thwaites
Bitter and most likely different from today's choice. I could not believe
how delicious this was compared to the fizz I normally annoyed my stomach
with. I would walk three miles to the country pub to sit in the sun and sup
a couple of pints on a Saturday lunchtime. Later, when I started working, I
was able to get Bass, directly tapped from steel in one bar and a
Scottish brew tapped from the wood in another - both beside the University.
That ended thanks to Guinness and it was to be the start of the 80's before
I could buy cask ale again. This was when Hilden started to brew.
It says a lot for the local CAMRA branch that it took me another 9 years to
find out their existence, and only because I happened to meet with the
current Chairman. Still, he got me on to the Committee to set up their first
Newsletter. A year later I was Chairman and stayed there for seven years,
organising the first three Belfast Beer Festivals. At that time I set up and
chaired the local SPBW branch. Sadly, it was discontinued when I stepped
down.
A couple of years ago a friend in Leeds persuaded me to start the branch
again. I argued that I did not have time for recruitment, but I was easily
swayed. I complained to the NEC about the state of their website and
promptly got the job to organise a new one. Along with that came the job of
Admin for the Forum. Family illness precludes me from actively campaigning
for members at a local level, but the branch exists, has its own website and
recently presented its first POTY award. The future will take care of its
own.
|
