The Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) is one of the most influential consumer organisations in the UK with about 110,000 members. From its formation in the early 1970s CAMRA has become the largest consumer group focussed on a single product.

The present thriving real ale business (over 70 new breweries started in the past year alone) is in no small part due to CAMRA's existence, providing a ready "audience" for the products. CAMRA is a decentralised organisation, and most of its work is done by volunteers at local level, reinforcing national drives.

The West Dorset branch of CAMRA is a group of about 300 members. Our aims are to promote the interests of the beer (and cider) drinking consumers and communities within West Dorset.  We help to manage three separate Beer Festivals in the area each year:

Dorchester Beerex	first weekend in February	in partnership with Round Table
Wykefest	mid-July	in partnership with Value House, Wyke Regis
Weymouth Octoberfest	first weekend in October	in partnership with Brewers Quay

We also choose a "Pub of The Year" annually and also select which West Dorset pubs will go into the Good Beer Guide.

The local branch is run by an annually elected committee of about 11 people. We meet every 2nd Wednesday in the month at various venues around the area. Anyone is welcome to these meetings which are listed here on the web site.

In addition to the above Beer Festivals we also run trips to breweries and to other festivals each year. These events and other relevant ones are listed here.

We are always glad to see new faces at the meetings. Although we would like you to join there is no pressure to take the leap straight away nor to take on any workload that you do not want to.  

Any additional information on what is going on in the area is appreciated - it is a large area and its not easy to get around it! Please let us know any information / news.

So if you enjoy a pint or are just interested come along to the next meeting - we would love to see you!

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