CAMRA members cast votes on the organisation’s future
All paying members will have the opportunity to decide whether CAMRA will widen its remit to represent drinkers of ‘quality beers of all types’ and move its focus beyond traditional pubs and clubs.
The proposals follow a root-and-branch review of the organisation’s purpose and objectives, dubbed CAMRA’s Revitalisation Project. The project involved the consultation of all 191,000 members of the organisation.
Revitalisation proposals outlined
If the conclusions of the project are approved, changes to the organisation could take the form of:
• CAMRA festivals offering a range of quality beers, ciders and perries in all formats, alongside a wider range of canned and bottled products
• CAMRA engaging with drinkers of all types, supporting them on a journey of discovery to understand why real ale, cider and perry is particularly special
• CAMRA educating members in appreciating quality beer, as well as campaigning to drive up the quality of beers in all licensed establishments
• CAMRA providing access to information about all kinds of beer, not just real ale, as well as the opportunity to learn more about how they’re made and the differences between different types of beer and the way they are dispensed
• CAMRA’s national competitions continuing to reward the best real ales and pubs, but also accepting a wider pool of entries into its competitions
• CAMRA acting as the representative of all pubgoers, in campaigning to preserve the special role that pubs play in their local communities
Voting opens this week both online and via postal votes, and will continue until Wednesday 18 April. Members can also choose to vote in person at the organisation’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Coventry on 21 April.
CAMRA chairman Colin Valentine said: “It’s always been important that our members have had a say throughout this review process and we’re now at the point where we’ll be giving all our members the chance to vote on the final recommendations.
"This marks an important stage in CAMRA’s long history. The beer and pub landscape has changed over the past 47 years and continues to evolve, and we’re determined to remain relevant to drinkers of all types so that we can continue to offer a compelling reason for people to join our organisation.”
National Executive candidates confirmed
CAMRA members will also have the chance to choose who joins the organisation’s board of directors – the National Executive – from one of the biggest candidate lists in recent memory.
Ten candidates have put their names forward for four seats on the National Executive – the 12-strong group of elected volunteers who set strategy for the Campaign for Real Ale.
This year’s candidates are:
• Nik Antona - from East Staffordshire: a National Executive member re-standing for election
• Lynn Atack - CAMRA volunteer from Doncaster
• Greg Cloney - CAMRA volunteer from Coventry
• Ash Corbett-Collins - CAMRA volunteer from Birmingham, national co-ordinator of CAMRA’s Young Members’ Group
• Bradley Cummings - Tiny Rebel Brewery co-founder and CAMRA volunteer from Cardiff
• Nicholas Hair - CAMRA volunteer from London
• Ian Hill - CAMRA volunteer from Hertfordshire: a National Executive member re-standing for election
• Gillian Hough - CAMRA volunteer from Derbyshire: A member of the Derby Winter Ales Festival organising team and various CAMRA national committees
• Chris Stairman - CAMRA volunteer from Cheshire
• Alexander Wright - from Buckinghamshire, a National Executive member re-standing for election
Members will be able to cast votes directly for up to four candidates, either by postal ballot or online. Those attending CAMRA’s AGM in Coventry will also be able to cast votes for candidates, if they haven’t already chosen to do so by other means.
