BEER lovers will head to Wanborough this weekend as the village puts on its second annual festival to the hoppy manna.

Last year, the Wanborough Community Beer Festival raised £6,000 for a church fund to fix the boiler in the village’s St Andrew’s Church.

The festival is back by popular demand this weekend, with 20 cask ales and 10 craft ciders. And the volunteers organising the beer bonanza, collectively known as the Old Boilers, are still fundraising for the Wanborough church’s £18,000 heating system replacements - as well as other charities yet to be announced.

New Calley Arms landlord Jon Beeden will host the festival at his pub.

“It went so well last year and the volunteers did such a good job,” he said. “We wanted to do it again.

“Last year, it raised £6,000. We want to see if we can raise more this year.

“We’re a small village pub and we’ve got such a good group of locals. It’s nice to see the festival doing so well.”

Last year's festival proved a hit with punters. By the end of the first night, the bar had already sold out of a strawberry cider. And a pair of twins from Swindon celebrated their 30th birthday at the event, with their friends travelling from across the UK to Wanborough for the occasion.

Co-organiser Graeme Williamson told the Swindon Advertiser at last April's event: “Most of the beers have come from far and wide. We’ve got beers from Nottinghamshire, Kent, Herefordshire and Dorset.”

Former publican Barry Hillier – and another member of the Old Boilers – said the secret to a good pint of beer was its freshness: “What makes a poor pint is if it’s out of date. With a beer festival you can’t go wrong.”

The Wanborough Community Beer Festival is at the New Calley Arms, Ham Road. It will run until 10pm tonight, Saturday, April 13. Tickets can be bought on the door.

For more, call the New Calley Arms on 01793 790615.