The beer festival at The Bell Inn in Castle Hedingham is always a highlight of the summer, and this year’s is sure to be no exception. But for many of the pub’s regulars and for those of us behind the bar it will not be entirely ‘business as usual’.

Last November, Keira Dixon, one of our regular Saturday afternoon bar team, passed away after a battle against brain cancer that lasted more than 4 years. She was just 21 years old. Keira was a lifelong Sheffield Wednesday supporter, and it was at last year’s festival that news reached The Bell of a partnership between the Owls and Thornbridge Brewery to brew The Wednesday, a 4% ABV traditional pale ale, as the club’s official beer.

Unfortunately, Keira never got to try The Wednesday, and so on the 13th July, in tribute to a courageous young lady, one of her festival bar team mates and North West Essex branch member, Tim Nash, is embarking on a 190 mile bike ride from Hillsborough Stadium in Sheffield to Castle Hedingham in Essex, carrying with him a bottle of the club’s official beer.

The ride is scheduled to take 5 days, passing through Nottingham, Melton Mowbray, Peterborough and Cambridge, before reaching Nethergate Brewery near Sudbury on the afternoon of the 17th July, and then on to The Bell in Castle Hedingham, just in time for the opening of this year’s festival.

Along the way, Tim will be raising money for St Helena who supported Keira and her family, and who continue to support many others facing incurable illness.

Further information about the ride, including the route, is online at www.justgiving.com/hillsborough-to-hedingham. Members can also follow Tim’s progress on social media by searching for @hillsborough2hedingham on Instagram and FaceBook and @hills2hed on Twitter.

Tim is keen to take the opportunity to explore pubs and breweries along the way and will be making extensive use of the GBG app on his phone, but he would welcome any recommendations from members regarding pubs and places that should not be missed. Please feel free to contact Tim via social media or email to moc.liamg@mahgnideh2hguorobsllih

And finally – if a man in a St Helena cycling shirt comes into your local pub looking hot and flustered between now and he 13th July, please treat him kindly!