Mine's a Pint - Summer 2018

Revitalising CAMRA
Images from CAMRA AGM via Twitter @
CAMRA_AGM
For the last two years CAMRA members
have been debating what the campaign is for,
and what it should focus on going forward.
It’s been called the Revitalisation Project,
which references CAMRA’s original name
of “the Campaign for the Revitalisation of
Ale”.
CAMRA undertook a huge consultation
exercise involving a series of surveys,
meetings and proposals, all with the
intention of finding out from its members
what they thought the priorities for the
campaign should be. Of course, a huge
variety of opinions were expressed, which
is only to be expected in an organisation of
190,000 people.
We all care about the future of CAMRA
but we all have different reasons and think
that different things are the most important.
Should the priority be to support and
campaign for:
• Real ale served from the cask, because
that’s what CAMRA fought to save
when it was first formed?
• Cider and perry, because they’re
traditional drinks served in a similar
manner to beer?
• Good beer of any type, because driving
up quality is what’s most important?
• Consumer choice, because CAMRA
is a consumer organisation and we
want people to be able to choose for
themselves?
• Pubs, because without them we won’t
be able to enjoy our favourite drinks?
• Clubs, because they can provide a social
environment for communities that have
lost their other facilities?
• All breweries, because without them we
won’t have any real ale?
• Small breweries, because otherwise we
will see restricted choice?
• Or maybe some of these can co-exist in
a diverse campaign?
The Revitalisation Project team analysed all
the consultation responses and presented
proposals to CAMRA’s National Executive
(12 people who are like a board of directors,
except that they’re all volunteer members
and are elected by the wider membership).
They considered the proposals and took most
– although not all – forward to CAMRA’s
Members’ Weekend, held in Coventry this
April. The weekend included the AGM and
Conference, as well as a bar, events and trips
to local pubs and breweries.
Mine’s A Pint
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