On the 26th September The Choko Team were delighted to once again welcome people through the doors of the Laurence Hall for this years Choko Beer Festival.
We were once again blessed with prime beer festival weather and an incredible community that, as always, help to create such a great event.
It was truly a festival to remember and with the help of all our visitors and volunteers and sponsors and supporters, we were able to raise £10,000 for our international and local causes.
Firstly we would like to thank Laurence Hall for the venue and also the neighbours of Laurence Hall. We’re aware that the sound from the festival travels and so we thank you for your patience and apologise if we caused any disruption to your day.
Cholsey’s very own Amwell Springs Brewery Co. once again supported us with the beer this year and helped to ensure we had beer to sell throughout the whole day. The CHOKO Team were sadly without our usual Bar Manager, Matt Doughty, this year as work had taken him abroad, but our thanks go to those who helped fill the role in his stead. In particular special mentions to Jane Tyndall, Kieran Collins, John Ward and Trevor Robinson who all pitched in at different times and supported the rest of the team so well.
One of the big changes was the bar which we was loaned to us by the 1155 and Bunkfest team. We were so grateful to be able to use this and for the support provided by Mark Brett and the team at Haynes Car Care.
This year saw a number of changes in our setup not least with our sound and staging. We were delighted to welcome back Dan Mayer and the Ooops Entertainment team.
The team worked hard to provide some very clear sound and lighting and even some audio-visuals for the event, including the relocation of the sound desk to the back of the marquee, something we’ve discussed for some time but not tried until now.
Dan was also compère for the event, and provided a great rhythm to proceedings. With Dan having missed last years event, it was wonderful to have him back at the helm.
We were delighted to welcome back The High and Mighty who once again headlined for us, with their lead singer Lance Gerrard-Wright also now taking on the Music management for Choko. Lance booked some great acts for us this year including as usual the Cholsey Community Choir, who once again started the live music for us in harmonious style.
We also welcomed 5 Mile Radius who performed a great acoustic set. Hannah, their lead singer also later performed with The High & Mighty after Lance’s lead-female vocalist made contact to say she was no longer going to be able to perform. Hannah went and learned their whole set in an afternoon!
Poppy Davidson is a local singer who also graced the Choko stage for the first time, continuing the acoustic vibes into the afternoon.
We also welcomed The Mike Lemin Band for the first time. Mike’s band is a piano-rock, jazz, and alt-rock trio performing some covers and some fun original tracks which were well received by the families in attendance.
DJ Ollie filled the marquee with his club classics set – his 4 th time performing at Choko – Ollie is such an enthusiastic and dedicated member of the sound team – we love having him perform.
The Soul Seniors returned for the early-evening set delivering us some classic soul and Motown vibes and then our Headliners – The High & Mighty – gave us another high-octane set to see out the show with their full horn-section also in attendance.
Special thanks to all of our sponsors, including our principal glass sponsor ROOT ONE, without whom we would not be able to hold the event. Your generosity is greatly appreciated and we thank you for supporting as part of your 25 year anniversary. There were a number of comments on the cup design which was actually based on the winner of a cup design competition held by Root One over the summer.
A very special thank you to the absolute lifeblood of the festival – our Volunteers. Cholsey Primary School PTA did a superb job of managing the rota while The Cholsey Volunteers and The Cholsey Preschool took on their roles with such positivity and helped to make the day so enjoyable.
Special mention to the preschool and all those who dragged themselves back on Sunday morning to help clear up – you were a massive help.
Thanks to Mr and Mrs Park’s Butchers for providing the barbecue, the meat and the box office services, and also Cheryl Bryers for the delicious supper options and to all those who cooked, baked, prepared or served to keep people fed throughout the day.
Thank you also to our principal charity Go M.A.D in Tanzania who once again were in attendance this year with their stand letting people know about the life-changing projects CHOKO are supporting in rural areas of Tanzania. GoMAD were incredibly helpful in the setup for the festival also and we thank them for their help.
Finally thank you to our wonderful festival goers – regulars and newcomers alike.
It’s been a pleasure to mark another year of the Choko Beer Festival with you all.
Until next year.
The Choko Team