News From The Wood Brewery

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March 2010

BREWER'S DOUBLE BIRTHDAY FUNDRAISER IS A LONG HAUL!

South Shropshire brewer Edward Wood is marking

TWO milestone birthdays in the next two months –

by cycling almost 1,000 miles from Land’s End to

John O’Groats for charity.

In celebrating his own 60th birthday and the

Wood Brewery’s 30th birthday, he aims to raise at

least £6,000 for Midlands Air Ambulance – the

charity whose swift airlift two years ago saved the life

of his son Jonathan when he suffered a life-threatening head injury in a freak cricketing accident.

In addition to the personal effort of cycling, the

Wood Brewery Managing Director is inviting pubgoers

to contribute in a more relaxed way – by buying a

special double birthday brew, Wood’s 30-60 Challenge.

The 3.6% ABV bitter will be on free house bars from April.

The brewery will donate 10p to the Air Ambulance cause

for every pint of 30-60 it sells.

 “These are big birthdays for me, so I wanted to

do something memorable by raising money for a cause that

I know, from close personal experience, is very worthwhile,” said Edward. “I often cycle the two miles from home to

the brewery in Wistanstow and back, so I thought it was

the right time to take on something more ambitious!”

Edward, who has previously run the London Marathon and taken part in other endurance events, has been training for the John O’Groats adventure since January and is aiming to complete the ride in 12 days, starting on 4 May. He will cycle an average of over 80 miles a day, celebrating his 60th birthday on 13 May somewhere in Scotland.

“So far people have been very good in sponsoring me, and I’ve got about £2,000 pledged to date from friends and from business associates and suppliers to the brewery,” said Edward. “I’m confident I shall raise the target amount, but there’s a lot of hard work in fundraising ahead before I get on the bike for the big ride. I just hope I’m fit enough to make it!”

Edward recently handed over a cheque for £1,000 to Midlands Air Ambulance after brewing Triple A (Air Ambulance Ale) to mark the lifeline service’s 18 years in the air.

The Air Ambulance provides the primary response to counties including the West Midlands, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire, dealing with over 3,500 callouts each year. It operates from Tatenhill Airport in Staffordshire, RAF Cosford, near Wolverhampton, and Strensham North Services on the M5. The cost of running and maintaining current level of operations stands at £5.6 million, for which the organisation relies entirely on voluntary donations.

To contribute to Edward’s fund-raising, phone him at the brewery on 01588 672523 or email Edward@woodbrewery.co.uk

February 2010

Wood Brewery MD Edward Wood presents the money to Stef Langford-Brown, Air Ambulance Fundraising Manager.

Drinkers who tried Triple A, Air Ambulance Ale, a beer specially brewed by Wistanstow’s Wood Brewery, have helped raised £1,000 for the Midlands Air Ambulance charity. Wood’s Managing Director Edward Wood handed over the cheque to Stephanie Langford-Brown, Air Ambulance Fundraising Manager, at the MAA’s headquarters in Brierley Hill. The brewery donated money from every bottle or pint of draught Triple A that drinkers bought throughout 2009, and topped up the money to the £1,000 mark with a further donation. Edward Wood said: “At the beginning of the year, Wood’s chose the Air Ambulance as a very worthwhile cause for a donations campaign. It was an ironic coincidence that I found out a few months later just what a lifeline service it is – they had to airlift my son Jonathan to Stoke for emergency brain surgery after he suffered a sports accident at school in Shrewsbury. Thankfully, Jonathan has made a complete recovery, but without their rapid response it could have been hugely, tragically different.”

The Air Ambulance provides the primary response to counties including the West Midlands, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire, dealing with over 3,500 callouts each year. It operates from Tatenhill Airport in Staffordshire, RAF Cosford, near Wolverhampton, and Strensham North Services on the M5. The cost of running and maintaining current level of operations stands at £5.6 million, for which the organisation relies entirely on voluntary donations.

Stephanie Langford-Brown said: “Corporate donations and fund-raising efforts by companies across the region are a very important source of income to us. But what started out as a much appreciated corporate donation scheme by Wood’s has turned into a very personal cause for Edward and his family. We are hugely grateful for the money donated by Wood’s and its customers.”

May 2009

Joanne Malin, Edward Wood and John Wilson of Advantage West Midlands.

Five County Producers Scoop Prestigious Food & Drink Award

Heather’s Harvest, Bonbonniere,  Gill’s Puddings, Wenlock Edge Farm and The Wood Brewery have all won a HEART of ENGLAND fine foods Diamond Award at a glittering awards ceremony and gala dinner held on Saturday night.

The HEART of ENGLAND fine foods (HEFF) Diamond Awards celebrate the best of regional produce across the West Midlands including Shropshire, Staffordshire, Herefordshire, Warwickshire, Worcestershire and Birmingham and The Black Country.

The Diamond Awards were held on Saturday 16 May at The International Centre, Telford with guests indulging in a six course regionally sourced menu, created by Michelin star chef Andreas Antona.  The dinner was prepared by six of the region’s top chefs representing the British Culinary Federation (BCF) under the leadership of consultant chef Chris Hudson. Representing Shropshire was chef Michel Nijsten from Albright Hussey Manor, Shrewsbury.

The Wood Brewery, Craven Arms, took home the Special Diamond Award for Excel which was sponsored by Advantage West Midlands.  Judges commented that The Wood Brewery “regularly develop special products linked to the local community” and were “totally committed to reducing waste and energy”.The panel unanimously felt that this company was absolutely outstanding on corporate social responsibility and the way in which they used this to successfully market the company.

Edward Wood, director of The Wood Brewery, said: “I’m absolutely delighted.  I’ve been runner up in different awards and to finally win such a prestigious award is absolutely fantastic.  It’s also a great testament to all the people who work for me and all the people associated with the company.

He added: “We’ve been operating for 25 years and what I was trying to get across in the interview was our connection with the local community and how we’re a part of it.”

A full list of winners and finalists can be found on the website at www.heff.co.uk

April 2009

Edward Wood and Clare Fildes want people to buy local produce wherever possible.

Wood's drinkers provide £1200 boost for ‘Buy Local’ scheme.

Real ale drinkers have helped to give a £1200 boost to a ‘Buy Local’ campaign being run by the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).  The money was raised through Wistanstow’s Wood Brewery donating 5p for every pint of Shropshire Hills Beauty it sold. The beer was launched last year by Wood’s and the AONB to mark the 50th anniversary of the area’s stunning landscape and scenery becoming legally protected.

Said Clare Fildes, Development Officer for the AONB Partnership: “The beer was superb and we’re delighted that it has raised so much money that we can put to constructive use. Part of our work as an AONB is to encourage local people to buy local produce. Keeping money in the area increases its overall prosperity for everyone living and working here. Local producers provide valuable jobs, and activities like livestock farming and food production is really important to sustain the local scenery.”

Edward Wood, MD of the family-owned Wood Brewery, said: “We’re very pleased that drinkers chose to support this cause through our beer. We’re very much part of the local community – almost all our staff live in the area – so we like to support local causes where we can.”

The AONB is one of several local and regional causes to have received money from the Wood’s ‘Pence for Pints’ programme. Currently the brewery has special beers on sale for the Midlands (formerly county) Air Ambulance and Shrewsbury Town Football Club

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