PATRONS of an annual real ale celebration have provided a welcome funding boost for a North-East hospice foundation.

While sampling a wide range of real ales and ciders at the recent 39th Durham Beer Festival, customers were asked to make donations for the event’s chosen charity this year, the Willow Burn Hospice, near Lanchester.

Proceeds over the four days of the festival, at Durham City Rugby Club’s Hollow Drift club house, were tallied up and reached an impressive £767.

A cheque for that amount was presented by members of the festival organisers, the Durham branch of the Campaign for Real Ale (Camra), to Paul Jackson, who chairs the Willow Burn Hospice Board on behalf of the overseeing body, the Derwentside Hospice Care Foundation.

The presentation was made at a recent branch social night at The Victoria Inn, in Hallgarth Street, Durham, which local Camra members voted as its 2018 Town Pub of the Year.

It is a welcome addition to the hospice’s perpetual funding drive to maintain facilities and provide palliative and life-ending services to patients at the Maiden Law site.

The next date on the diary is a Vintage Nostalgia Night, featuring vocalist Fiona Robson, the Shoreline Group and compere/comedian Dave Greener, is at Lanchester Social Club, in Newbiggen Lane, on Friday October 18, from 7 until 11pm.

Tickets, costing £10, include a welcome drink and buffet, are available from Mr Jackson, on (07957) 871106 or from Lanchester Newsagents.