Special beer raises funds for Chilterns

BEER drinkers have made a £700 contribution to preserving the Chilterns countryside simply by enjoying their tipple.

A special brew – Chiltern Double Fifty – was developed by The Chiltern Brewery last autumn to celebrate the 50th anniversaries of the conservation charity, the Chiltern Society, and the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

Cheque presentation at Chiltern Brewery (L to R: Tom Jenkinson, Vicky Blane, Claire Forrest)

Five pence of every pint sold was donated and split between the two groups. This week The Chiltern Brewery handed over cheques totalling £700, the results of nearly 14,000 pints being downed.

Victoria Blane from the Chiltern Society, said: “We are very grateful that one of our own local breweries, The Chiltern Brewery, took the trouble to create this special brew, which obviously proved very popular with the public. The donation will help both organisations in our ongoing missions to conserve and care for the Chilterns’ special landscape.”

Claire Forrest of the Chilterns Conservation Board, which cares for the Chilterns AONB, said: “We’re delighted that this special beer has been so popular and raised vital funds to help us look after the Chilterns countryside – it’s a very refreshing way to celebrate these landmark anniversaries.”

Tom Jenkinson, Head Brewer at The Chiltern Brewery said: “Chiltern Double Fifty has been a truly popular brew and I think many locals have embraced the celebratory cause too. It was in fact so popular that we made the decision to brew it again in January after such high demand in the autumn. We were delighted to continue our support.”

The Chiltern Society is the only registered charity dedicated to protecting all of the Chilterns’ unique landscape. It has 7,000 members and 500 volunteers who work tirelessly to maintain and improve the Chilterns for the benefit of all. Over the last 50 years it has contributed 163,000 hours of volunteering, acquired and improved 12 important nature reserves and heritage sites and maintained over 7,000 miles of footpaths and cycle ways.
The Chiltern Hills have long been one of one of England’s most beautiful landscapes and in 1965 this was officially recognised when 309 square miles of the Chilterns were designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. AONBs belong to the same family as National Parks, representing some of the finest landscapes in the UK. The Chilterns Conservation Board is the public body responsible for promoting and conserving the Chilterns AONB and worked closely with the Chiltern Society to celebrate the 50th anniversaries of both the AONB and the Society last year.

The Chiltern Brewery is the oldest independent brewery in the area. From the very start the ethos at The Chiltern Brewery has been to brew natural, wholesome beers using 100% British ingredients – the best Class A malt and hops with great provenance and to mirror age old brewing methods.