A pub which created its own music festival to raise charity funds has reached the finals of a national award scheme.

The Beeswing Inn at East Cowton, near Northallerton, is one of just 15 pubs from across the country in the running for the Community Pub Hero Awards.

Nationwide, 200 pubs entered the awards, organised by PubAid and the All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group and sponsored by national drinks wholesaler Matthew Clark.

Entries were judged by a panel of industry experts and the overall winners will be announced in March, with all finalists invited to a presentation at the House of Commons.

The competition first ran in 2018 and has been expanded this year to offer two categories for pubs – community support hero or charity fundraising hero, and a new community regular hero where pubs nominated a supportive customer.

 

Beth Robinson of The Beeswing Inn at East Cowton

Beth Robinson of The Beeswing Inn at East Cowton

 

Since 2014 the Beeswing has organised the Cowtonbury Music Festival to raise money for charity. A lot of the fundraising is focused on supporting the Friarage Hospital in Northallerton. In the last four years, £64,000 has been raised to improve the palliative care facilities, with a family room opened on one of the wards so people can stay near their loved ones. The pub has also fundraised for hospices and people in need in the local community.

PubAid co-founder Des O’Flanagan said: “Our heartfelt congratulations go to the Beeswing Inn. Choosing the finalists from a very strong set of entries was a real challenge and those pubs who have reached the shortlist should be very proud of their achievement.

“Judges were hugely impressed by the stories from so many pubs, who have raised astonishing sums for charities, or provided incredible support for local people. The awards demonstrate, once again, that pubs are a force for good in their communities.”

PubAid is a working party created in 2009 to promote UK pubs as a force for good in their communities.