Well Wishers is toasting a generous donation after Cannock Beer Festival raised £500 for Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust’s charity.

Money was raised from the sale of unused beer and cider tokens and donations after more than 1,000 real ale fans attended the three-day festival at Prince of Wales Theatre in Cannock.

Organiser Malcolm Pearson said: “We received many generous donations for the charity, not just in unused beer tokens, but cash as well – there were a couple of tenners posted in the box.

“The total amount raised came to just shy of £500, so the Cannock Chase branch of Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) added some of our surplus funds to round it up to £500.”

Malcolm said the event was a huge success – so much so that the venue was drank dry!

“We sold out of all beers and ciders at 10.15 on Saturday night – perfect timing!” he added. “The beer of the festival was Spingo Special, a dark ruby and strong (5.6 per cent) ale from Helston, Cornwall, followed closely by a whacking great 10 per cent XXXK Vintage Ale from Wimbledon.”

Georgie Westley, Well Wishers Fundraising Manager, said: “We’re very grateful to Malcolm and members of the Cannock branch of CAMRA plus members of the public for this donation, which will be used to benefit our patients.”

Malcolm is pictured with Georgie and his fellow Cannock Chase CAMRA branch members and husband and wife Colin and Cheryll Gilbert, both in blue T-shirts.