A Toast to the Oast!

Celebrations for the 40^th anniversary of the Oast Centre in Rainham have been kicked off in style with a specially brewed beer taking pride of place at a fundraising beer festival.

The Oast Community Centre in Rainham opened its doors in 1978 and three Kent real ale enthusiasts have brewed a beer to celebrate the occasion. Named “Toast to the Oast” the beer was brewed at Four Candles Brewery in Broadstairs and will take top listing at the Oast festival taking place on 22/23 June to raise funds for ongoing restoration work. The festival will feature 40 Kentish beers and 10 Kent ciders as well as live music from local bands on both days. Friday features bands Fightmilk, Theatre Royal, Stuart Turner & the Flat Earth Society and Darren Hayman while playing on Saturday are Love Reptiles, Ravella Bridge, Ancient Orange and Turtle Circles.

Oast Centre Chair Paul Clark said “It’s fantastic to see the Oast hosting a beer festival in the kiln where hops were dried in the early 20^th Century. The Oast is on a journey of reinvention and we hope to highlight the facilities that exist here to all the visitors over the festival weekend.” Andy James, an organiser of the festival added “Being adjacent to Rainham station the Oast is a perfect location for a beer festival so we’re looking forward to raising much needed funds to help the Oast centre to continue to provide a place for local groups and businesses to meet”

Photo of Paul Clark (left) Chair of The Oast Centre with  brewers Karl Martin (centre) and Nick France

The Oast was acquired in 1970 by Rainham and Wigmore Community Association and converted to open as a community centre in 1978. The centre is a registered charity run by volunteers with facilities for hire by groups, conferences and business meetings. The buildings date back over 130 years and funds raised will help to maintain the fabric of the Oast as well as making the site  accessible to all sections of the local community. The Oast website is http://www.oastcentre.org/

More information on the festival can be found on the website www.rainham-kent.co.uk or www.Facebook.com/oastfestival