THE Reading & Mid Berkshire Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) will be celebrating the best of the region’s pubs, beers and volunteers at their annual Gala Awards evening this week.

The event will take place at The Castle Tap tomorrow night, where guests will arrive at 7.30pm for an 8pm start.

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This year's gala awards will be themed as follows:

• National awards

• Pub awards (Pub of the Year and other specific pub awards)

• Celebrating a number of long-standing branch volunteers

• Champion Beers of the Reading Beer Festival 2019

Amongst the highlights, The Nags Head in Reading will be celebrating another Pub of the Year win (as well as making the last 16 nationally of CAMRA’s Pub of the Year’ competition).

Furthermore, Seona MacKenzie, licensee of the Clifton Arms in Caversham, will be receiving a special award for 35 years of service.

Bingham’s Brewery will also be basking in the glory of winning Gold in the ‘Specialty Beer’ category at the Great British Beer Festival last month, for their Vanilla Stout.

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Reading CAMRA branch Chair, James Moore, said: “The Gala Awards evening is a brilliant opportunity for the local pub, beer and cider community to get together and celebrate the work they do in an industry that entails long hours and hard work to bring the best experience to the people of Reading.

"Having both a local brewery and pub receiving national recognition this year is fantastic and a real testament to the range and quality of pubs and brews produced locally.

“I’m also especially proud that this year we have focused on our volunteers, with five outstanding individuals being recognized for their years of dedication.”

Over 150 years of collective volunteering for the Reading & Mid Berkshire CAMRA branch will be honoured, including the author of the bestselling ‘Reading Pubs’, John Dearing.