The 2022 Newquay Beer Festival was blessed with some great weather, jovial and very good natured crowds and magnificent music, drinks and food – and it will have raised many thousands of pounds for local good causes.
The organisers, Newquay Towan Blystra Lions Club, put all there energies into making this ninth event another which will be remembered for all the right reasons and, in addition to the normal Friday to Sunday event, added a Wednesday night comedy evening with Johnny Cowling into the mix, raising money for Chrissie’s Sunshine Appeal.
Lions President, Jill Bunt said: “It is a massive commitment every year, all undertaken by volunteers and we would not manage to put it on without the help of so many people who are far too numerous to list. Our own Lions take on the majority of the tasks but are helped considerably by other individuals and groups from around Newquay and further afield. I offer every single one of them my thanks and admiration for their community spirit.”
The festival goes ahead each year with the support of over 100 sponsors and Hendra Holiday Park are generous in providing so many of the facilities needed to run the festival. The musicians who play five all their time freely to support the good causes of the Lions and with great local talent like The Qwest, Off The Lights and Benji Matthews headlining the event, as well as local songbird Paula holding things to gather on Sunday afternoon, the vibe was all upbeat and positive.
Jill continued: “It’s too early to give a precise amount raised because we still have invoices to pay but, at first look, the total figure is likely to be similar to our efforts in previous years and will add to the £65,000 the event has raised since it started in 2013.”
On Sunday morning, Newquay Road Runners joined the fund raising and fun with over 50 of them taking on various running challenges around the town and local villages in aid of the Rehab of Rosey Appeal, supporting the step-daughter of local vicar Chris McQuillen-Wright as she fights her long health battle after a devastating accident whilst horse riding earlier this year left her paralysed from the neck down. The raffle and auctions on that afternoon at the Beer Festival also added to this amount which is likely to be in excess of £1,000.
The photos are by kind permission of QWest on Friday night & Off The Lights from Saturday.