A charity beer festival and tug of war in Beaconsfield bought in crowds of over a thousand people on Saturday.

John Read, the town’s mayor organised Beaconsfield Beer Festival at the Rugby Club on St George’s Day (April 23) with the aim of improving dementia care and awareness in the county.

Cllr Read said the festival went “excellently” and even had a star guest – celebrity astrologer and ambassador for the Alzheimer’s Society, Russell Grant.

Visitors sampled the range of 32 real ales, ten ciders and five craft and keg beers, as well as a prosecco bar, while enjoying live music and celebrated the convening of the Manorial Court of Beaconsfield.

Beaconsfield-based charity, the Alexander Jansons Foundation, also won the tug of war competition.

Cllr Read said: “It was a really good day, lots of people came out for it. There was a great line up of local bands and it is brilliant that a local, Beaconsfield charity won the tug of war.”

The event will also help raise funds for an Admiral Nurse for the town as well as Amersham and the surrounding area.

Admiral Nurses are specialist dementia nurses who give practical and emotional care and support for families as well as the person with dementia and they work in the community, in care homes and in hospices.

Cllr Read said Bucks is the “hole in the donut” with no Admiral Nurse or nursing team and has dedicated his Mayoral Appeal to raising funds and awareness of dementia.