DUNFERMLINE Beer Festival was launched 10 years ago and in that time has raised a remarkable £201,550 for charities and local good causes.

The festival has become a much-anticipated highlight of Dunfermline’s social calendar since it was first held in 2004 and its popularity has grown to the point where many people had to be turned away last year because the Glen Pavilion was at its full capacity.

The event returns on Friday 3rd and Saturday 4th October this year and the Press is delighted to be media sponsor again.

Since the first festival in 2004 it has steadily grown and its popularity was always based on appealing across the board and not just the beer aficionados.

These are well catered for, of course, with more than 40 of the country’s best real ales available this year plus a wide range of cider and wine.

The event is joint run by Dunfermline Rugby Club and Dunfermline Round Table. The organisers looked back at the figures raised in the first ten festivals and the total came to £201,550.

Half of that sum has gone to boost youth rugby through attracting hundreds of youngsters - both boys and girls - to take up the sport, get fit and build lifelong friendships.

Apart from the hard work of the coaches, it requires a considerable amount of money to keep such a large youth section running to pay for kit, equipment, hire of pitches and training courses.

The charities to have benefitted through the Round Table’s proceeds have included CHAS, the Anthony Nolan Trust and Alzheimer Scotland.

The idea of the festival initially came from a round tabler whose son was a rugby player and had been involved in organising a similar event while living in England.

Former chairman of the organising committee Sean Doran, previously told the Press, “The idea came from a round table member Hugh McReynolds and when he was in the round table in Macclesfield they had organised a beer festival.

“We had that template to work from and it was decided the money raised would be split between a charity chosen by the round table and Dunfermline Rugby Club.

“We didn’t make much money the first year. Perhaps we hadn’t got enough publicity but we still had about 400 to 500 people come along.” However, while pubs have complained about dwindling trade in the intervening years, the beer festival has gone from strength to strength.

MP Thomas Docherty, as a member of Dunfermline Round Table, has been closely in the festival in recent years regularly serving behind the bar.

On one occasion he and his colleagues had to rush down to a local supermarket to replenish stocks when the beer looked like running out.

He said, “A lot of money’s been raised over the years. The event’s become more and more popular as people hear it’s a great night out with a friendly, relaxed atmosphere. That’s what everyone loves about it.” Entertainment this year is will provided by No Alibi, Cut the Cake and Sids Garage.

As always there is a Saturday afternoon session as well as those on friday and Saturday night. Tickets priced £10 (£12 on the night) are available from Dunfermline RFC clubrooms, McKane Park, The Pars Shop at East End Park, Pink String and sealing Wax, Bridge Street and other outlets. They are also available online via www.ticketweb.co.uk.