Here is the branch diary of meetings and socials for the next few months

Some events will need booking, so please do so in good time

Events requiring booking:
Christmas Social Meal, Roman Awayday, Out of County Experience and Triple Stamps.

Email ku.gro.armac.stnahtron@laicos to book

Branch Diary to download

BRANCH CHRISTMAS SOCIAL MEAL – GEDDINGTON - WED 11TH DECEMBER
Following last year’s enjoyable formal Christmas dinner event, this will again be repeated but at the Star Inn (GBG), Geddington where the food is always excellent and on the bar are four ales, with one or two always from a county brewery. There are several choices on the menu, with individual prices rather than a set price for one to three courses. There will also be the usual Xmas prize quiz. Tables have been reserved for 19:00. Please indicate whether you will be attending so that I can confirm the booking by 16th November. Christmas Menu 2024 is attached and I will require a pre-order by 30th November

ROMAN AWAYDAY – BATH – LocAle - SAT 14th DECEMBER
This year’s Christmas Roman Awayday takes us to Bath, probably the most significant of the UK’s Roman cities with its intact Roman Baths and fantastic Georgian terraces. This is also the final weekend of the Christmas Markets for anyone who wishes to dip-out on a couple of pubs. With fourteen GBGs pubs including two National Inventory and the brewery taps, we will spend the full day here. With prices continuing to rise, the larger coach works out at £30 per head. Usual Desborough, Kettering, Wellingborough and Northampton pick-ups, plus Brackley. Booking are already coming in, so please book soon to avoid disappointment.

OUT OF THE COUNTY EXPERIENCE –STRAW BEAR FESTIVAL LocAle - SAT 11th JANUARY 2025
Yes, that early in the year, but wrap-up warm! We are going to the Straw Bear Festival, Whittlesey, a few miles out in the Fens. The event starts with a procession with the Straw Bear dancing through the town accompanied by musicians and plough boys followed by many dance teams to fill the streets with colour whatever the weather, along with a storyteller in a local venue when you need a break from following the bear! The other break of course is beer, where two of the pubs put on a beer festival for the event. Mid-afternoon we break away and head for Peterborough where we will have time to visit a couple of pubs including the Wonky Donkey in Fletton. Our vintage bus will be new for us but has limited seating so please don’t delay in booking. Departure will be from Northampton, Weston Favell, Wellingborough and Kettering. Outline times are 09:00 from Northampton, returning for 20:00.

BRANCH OPEN MEETING – ECTON – LocAle - MON 13th JANUARY 2025
With only six branch meetings a year, we repeat 2024 with a return to the Three Horseshoes (GBG, NN6 0QA) where the Benjamin Franklin Brewery has been installed and is now brewing with two of their beers available on the bar. The meeting will be held in the side room at 19:30.

BRANCH SOCIAL TRIPLE STAMPS 28 – LocAle - SAT 25th JANUARY 2025
With us now entering our 50th Anniversary year as a Branch, I wanted to visit a traditional brewery that we have never visited before. For the first time in their 158 year history, Donnington Brewery are throwing open the doors of their historical tower brewery for official tours. A mile from Stow-on-the-Wold, it is the only existing brewery using a waterwheel to power all the original equipment. The guided tour of the historic brewhouse follows the traditional process through to tasting the final product with a complementary Donnington glass. I have now booked the tour but there is a limit of 15 which is now close at a cost of £25 for the brewery tour, plus £25 for the coach. For those not doing the brewery tour, you will have around two hours in Stow-on-the-Wold, a beautiful small town with lovely buildings and around half a dozen pubs owned or selling beers from Arkells, Donnington, Greene King, Purity, Wadworths and Youngs, plus a nearby village pub. Afterward we will spend the rest of the day visiting half a dozen beautiful country pubs and brewery taps, with another tour currently being planned. Please book.

BRANCH ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING – NORTHAMPTON – LocAle - WED 26th MARCH 2025
Advance notice of the AGM and as always, we still require a few posts to be filled to spread the load. The meeting will be held at the Albion Brewery Bar where we will have a private function for our meeting. Please attend and volunteer where necessary. Proceedings will begin at 19:30.

To book any trips, please email ku.gro.armac.stnahtron@laicos

Further information from Karl Tecklenberg on 07723 858069 (M). To receive the latest diary by e-mail each month, please e-mail ku.gro.armac.stnahtron@laicos