REAL ale enthusiasts raised a glass to female brewers during an annual beer and cider festival in Kidderminster.

Wyre Forest CAMRA organised the event, which was held at Kidderminster Town Hall and featured 48 beers, 30 of which were brewed by women brewers from across the British Isles.

The idea of celebrating women brewers in the centenary year of Women’s Suffrage and the choice of West Mercia Women’s Aid as this year’s Festival charity appealed so much to Lyn Sharpe that she travelled from Stoke to stay over, enjoy the Festival and help promote CAMRA.

Lyn has been a member of CAMRA for 28 years and features on their promotional leaflets and posters.

The event raised £278 for West Mercia Women’s Aid as a result of visitors’ generously donating unused beer tokens and buying pump clips and souvenirs.

Branch chairman Nick Yarwood said: “Visitors said they very much enjoyed our Brewster themed beers this year and chatting with Sarah Saleh and Elizabeth Barnett, Brewsters at The Hop Shed, Suckley, and Pershore breweries.

“They put on an attractive display of malts and hops for visitors to sniff and taste.

“At this, our seventh successful Beer and Cider festival in the Town Hall, over 2,100 pints of beer were enjoyed as well as lots of ciders.”