Saturday 27 December saw the CAMRA West Midlands Regional Annual Awards return to the Firs Club in Codsall, with branches from across the region coming together to recognise excellence in brewing, campaigning and volunteer work. The event ran from noon to 4pm and once again proved why the Firs is such a fitting host venue for a regional celebration.
This was the second time the awards have been held at the Firs Club, following the unfortunate long-term closure of the previous venue, Birmingham’s Grade II* listed Bartons Arms.
A strong day for Wolverhampton branch
Wolverhampton CAMRA had plenty to celebrate, with the branch picking up a number of top accolades that reflect the work being done behind the scenes all year round:
Robin Hewitt won “Best Responses to Pub & Club Updates”, recognising the essential (and often unsung) work of keeping our local pub information accurate and up to date.
Neil Hodgkiss was named joint winner of “CAMRA West Midlands Campaigner of the Year 2025”, celebrating consistent campaigning effort and visible branch impact.
Neil’s work a branch magazine editor was also recognised for BEERWOLF, which was awarded “West Midlands Magazine of the Year 2025”, the second time he’s scooped this award, previously winning in 2018.
Finally, the Wolverhampton branch also achieved runner-up in “Branch Website of the Year 2025”, underlining how much the website is increasingly central to how we communicate with members and the wider pub-going public.
These awards are a credit to the volunteers involved and to everyone in the branch who contributes—whether that is updating pub information, supporting local festivals and socials, helping with surveys, or simply turning up and taking part.
Regional Champion Beer results: quality across the West Midlands
Alongside the branch awards, the day also celebrated the region’s breweries and the West Midlands Champion Beer results. The published outcomes included:
Overall West Midlands Champion: Hobson’s Dhustone Stout (4.3%)
Category and wins for breweries including Holden’s, Enville Ales, Salopian and Kinver Brewery, reflecting the breadth of quality across styles—from strong ales and speciality beers through to milds, bitters, stouts and bottled categories.
Congratulations go to all the winners and to everyone involved in organising judging and presentations.
Campaigning message: business rates and pub survival
As well as the awards themselves, the afternoon included a clear reminder of why CAMRA campaigning matters. Speakers such as West Midlands Regional Director Adrian Zawierka and National Executive Members Gary Timmins and Shelly Bentley highlighted the ongoing pressure on pubs and urged members to support efforts to reduce business rates and engage elected representatives.
Whatever your personal campaigning comfort level, even small actions help: writing to your MP, supporting well-run independents, and making sure decision-makers understand the community value that pubs and clubs provide. Simply being an active CAMRA member and visiting pubs is enough to highlight the plight of these much loved institutions.
Onwards to 2026: a milestone year for our branch
These regional awards land at an ideal time for Wolverhampton CAMRA, with 2026 marking the branch’s 50th anniversary. The recognition for campaigning, communications and member support gives us real momentum going into what we expect to be a busy year.
If you are a member and would like to get more involved in 2026, watch the branch channels for ways to plug in. We’re looking forward to a busy year of campaigning and socials. Cheers!
