Ale & Hearty

I didn't feel like attending the CAMRA Branch AGM this year after I received a phone call from someone in the campaign that was based in a complete misunderstanding about my post on ReARM about GBG entries. The suggestion was that I'd published the list for 2015, when in fact I'd published the current list, as available in every book shop in the country. A quick glance at my blog would have prevented this embarrassing phone call. As it happens, I didn't - and still don't - know which pubs were listed for next year, and wouldn't print them before the GBG publication date if I did.

At the AGM later that week, in my absence I officially ceased to have responsibility for our local magazine, Ale & Hearty. I'm not particularly upset, if the truth be known, because my enthusiasm had been eroded when I repeatedly received insufficient help to collect adverts. I wrote here last year that I'd resigned and explained why. I was never formally reinstated, but stepped in to do the Autumn/Winter issue when we got an outside firm to take care of the adverts. While I was preparing for the Spring 2014 issue, my computer gave up the ghost and was out of action for 3 months, so some other arrangements had to made anyway. Our new editor is Pam Kelly, our first female editor; I wish her well and intend to continue writing articles for the mag.

Back to being an ordinary member, although I'll still design our beer festival poster and awards certificates. Though I say it myself, the certificates do look better than the ones done by CAMRA HQ.