Charity real ale and music festival

A CHARITY Real Ale and Music Festival is to be held at Ninfield's Blacksmiths Inn in August.

Landlord Peter Slinger said he is putting on the August Bank Holiday weekend (26-30 August) festival as he was "driven by a love for music, for real ale and for the desire to raise funds for a special cause".

He added: "Recently one of my greatest friends was struck down by a stroke. Big, friendly, affable Neil was reduced to a shambling wreck who could just about manage to say "Yes" or "No" and it broke my heart.

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"His son Tom (my Godson) wants to find ways of raising funds for research into the causes of and cures for strokes and has allied himself to The Stroke Association. I have invited them to participate in the weekend."

The restaurant will be turned into a 'beer palace', with a dozen real ales sold straight from the barrel, along with a range of traditional ciders and perrys.

The pub's car park will be turned into a tented village, and live music will play throughout the day and evening.

There will be a bouncy castle to keep the kids entertained along with a barbecue/pig roast. Car parking will be in an adjacent field.

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Tickets for the beer hall will cost 5.00 to include a festival glass and a half of beer, with 1.00 per ticket going to The Stroke Association.

Peter said the charity are also being invited to hold fund-raising events throughout the weekend.

The event starts on Friday evening with local favourite The Little Big Band, and a full list of bands who will be performing (including Mike and the Meercats and Blues Out) will be announced soon.

Peter added: "We would be interested to hear from any musicians who would like to perform live in the daytime in exchange for a beer or two and the glow of satisfaction in knowing that they are helping a good cause."

Volunteers are needed to help at the event. For further information call (01424) 892462.