A north-east beer festival has raised £27,500 for charity after attracting a record 5,300 visitors.
Attendance at the three-day Midsummer Beer Happening in Stonehaven was boosted by the weekend’s glorious weather.
Organisers have now revealed the good causes which will benefit, including a struggling mental health support organisation.
Guide Dogs for the Blind, the Stonehaven Sea Cadets and the town’s tennis club will all receive a payment of £8,000, with numerous other charities also gaining financial support.
Among them is Pillar Kincardine, which will get £2,000 as it seeks to avoid closure after pulling out of council contracts over concerns about service changes.
Robert Lindsay, organiser of the event, said that they were “delighted” to provide funding to the groups for the difference they make to the local community.
He also said that they were “blessed with beautiful summer weather”, which he felt acted as a boost to the level of participation over the three days.
Reflecting on its success, Mr Lindsay said: “It was a fantastic weekend which I’m sure will have left people with great memories.”
Andrea Williams, who works as a community fundraising officer for Guide Dogs, said that the money raised through the event will be of much use.
She said: “It costs just under £55,000 to train and support a guide dog partnership and every pound we raise at the event will make a difference to people who are living with sight loss.”
Stonehaven Tennis Club chairman Ron Young said: “The club will benefit enormously from the generosity of the Midsummer Beer Happening. Projects that were put on hold can now be funded.”
The festival provided more than just beer, food and music – with a series of challenging cycling events also proving popular.
Mr Lindsay said: “We were staggered by the flood of entries, especially to the Dinnaedo which has to be one of the toughest cycling routes in the UK.”
