The Bailiwick branch of Camra closed down due to a lack of volunteers earlier this year. However, it has been revived and the new committee held its first meeting last week.
Chairman and members’ secretary Shaun Marsh said they were working hard to get the branch up and running, create an active online and social media presence and grow the membership.
‘We are in the process of getting a provisional constitution together and working out how we are going to increase membership,’ he said.
Camra was founded in 1971 and since then the amount of real ale produced across the UK has increased tenfold.
‘There is a social element to it, as well as discussing local and national campaigning issues,’ said Mr Marsh.
‘It is essentially a new branch and we are walking on virgin territory. We will visit different pubs in the island each month.
‘At each meeting our members will decide where we go the following month.
‘We want to try to visit all the pubs around the island, listen to their problems and support them.’
Some of the members will be going over to Herm next week for the Ale and Cider Festival, for which they have secured discounts.
Mr Marsh, a former organiser of the long-running Cambridge Beer Festival, said there were still some unfilled positions on the committee.
‘As we get the membership up we will expand it to a full branch committee, which is about eight positions.’
The regional director of the Campaign for Real Ale, Sharon Broom, visited the island earlier this year to make a rallying call for islanders with an interest in real ale to find out more about Camra.
n Anyone interested in becoming a Camra member can call Mr Marsh on 07781 137910.
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