REGULARS at The Ship Victory pub in Chester have been raising funds for the benefit of the breast care unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital for almost 10 years.
During this time they have raised £90,000, and have now come up with a novel way to honour some of their customers who have been involved in various fundraising activities.
Regulars who have ‘gone the extra mile’ in raising money are to be hailed Helen’s Ship Heroes and have a special beer brewed by local brewery Blakemere, put on sale in the pub, in their honour.
The name was thought up by licensee Joe Gildea and his partner Helen after listening to Helen Shapiro’s 1960s hit Walking back to Happiness.
The first hero to be honoured was 79-year-old Ralph Jones, who has already walked up Mount Snowdon and is currently walking almost 200 miles on the Wainwright Coast to Coast route.
Ralph has raised a total of £1,500 from these two events and the first real ale brewed by Blakemere in honour of Ralph was called Freshly Squeezed. It sold out quickly during July just after it was launched.
The second ‘Ship hero’ is Maxine Henderson, who raised £831 by taking part in this year’s London Marathon.
Maxine’s Marathon Ale goes on sale from today (Thursday) at The Ship Victory.
Ten pence from every pint of these specially brewed Blakemere real ales will be donated to the Angela Gildea Memorial Fund at the Countess.
