Enterprising farmers win national award for arts sponsorship

An enterprising farming couple who diversified into brewing have?won a national award for their sponsorship of the arts in East and North Yorkshire.

The Society of Independent Brewers (SIBA) awarded the prize to East Yorkshire micro brewery Wold Top Brewery at its 2008 awards ceremony on 13th October after learning how brewery owners Tom and Gill Mellor?s love of the arts coupled with a desire to engage?their local community has led to the sponsorship of local events including art, food and music.

In the last 12 months, the brewery has supported the Beverley Folk Festival, Scarborough Jazz Festival and Bridlington Spa?s Musicport event with bespoke ales in addition to supporting local Arts Centres, Fair Trade and Local Sourcing Group events and emerging contemporary artists.

Gill Mellor is thrilled to have won the award and said; ?Sponsorship enables us to give something back to the community that provides our livelihood and we?re delighted that it has led to our second consecutive national SIBA award.?

Last year the Wold Newton brewery won a marketing award for its Wolds Way Pale Ale that was bottled and marketed to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the eponymous walk from the Humber Estuary to Filey Brigg.

The Society of Independent Brewers was founded in 1980 and represents the interests of the growing numbers of independent brewing companies in the UK.

SIBA?s Brewing Business Awards are open to all SIBA?s 430 brewing members and aim to recognise professionalism, innovation and commercial commitment.