There is nothing like a local event to help focus the marketing mind. Raising funds for local organisations and charities is often more challenging than paid work, but a positive outcome leads to a great feeling of a job well done.
Currently I am busy with the rest of the committee of the Haddenham Real Ale Festival, organising our next event on the 4th July 2009. This is an annual event and this will be our 5th year and the day has grown from humble beginnings with 16 barrels of real ale and the raising of £1,500 to 75+ barrels covering, real ale, real lager, cider and perry and a hoped for surplus of £12,000.
The festival raises money for local clubs and organisations in and around Haddenham which is the village I live in. We have raised and donated over £44,000 to date and are looking for some good weather this year to ensure a bumper turn-out.
Full details of the festival can be found at http://www.haddenham-beer-festival.co.uk.
However back to marketing and raising funds for local charities and how it can exercise the mind. Events like these need to be considered in exactly the same way as you would for running a business or any local charity. It is important to have a clear strategy of how the event is to be publicised, how funds are to be raised, in this instance using sponsorship as well as beer, wine and product sales and to ensure a process is in place that enables delivery against the objectives. Too many small charities rely on goodwill and enthusiastic volunteers to deliver the total solution, they are great as help and we have many but the committee are there to ensure that we improve our effectiveness each year, which hopefully we will be able to continue to do.
It is fantastic fun and even though we are all so busy most of the committee never get to taste the beer, it is truly rewarding to be part of the committee and hopefully I will see some of you there.
| 
We all had a fantastic day and the final result was a staggering £20,486 raised and all beer finished by 6.30pm, although we did manage to buy a barrel from the Rose and Thistle and this plus wine and Pimms saw us through to 8.30 when Restless Wilf our final band finished.
Next event is the Winterfest on 21st November – see you there!