Support blew in on the wind for booming Northumberland brewery
A microbrewery in Northumberland is celebrating a decade in business thanks to support which blew in from a local wind farm.
The First & Last Brewery in Bellingham has used £20,000 in help from the Vattenfall’s Ray Wind Farm Community Fund to relocate to a larger site, extend its taproom and replace a delivery van.
The renewable energy company, which owns and operates the Ray Wind Farm in Kirkwelpington, has supported local communities to the tune of £2.5m through the fund in the last ten years.
Established in 2016 First & Last Brewery produces beers inspired by the region’s landscape.
The team forages for ingredients including gorse flowers, spruce tips, damsons, plums and elderflower, with the resulting beers offering it describes as “a true taste of Northumberland.”
Sam Kellie, co-founder at the family-owned microbrewery, said: “The support from the Ray Wind Fund has been critical to the success and growth of the brewery.
"When our delivery van broke down during the pandemic, and we didn’t have sufficient money to repair or replace it, so we turned to the community fund for support.
“The other times we sought grants, thankfully, were more positive. like when we needed bigger premises.
"We can now make up to twice as much as we once could. Moving to Bellingham gave us the economies of scale and employ more local people.”
The brewery now has a team of 13, all based in Bellingham.
The most recent award from the Ray Wind Fund supported an extension to the brewery’s taproom.
Mr Kellie said: “Adding the taproom was an amazing achievement for us. We now have regular customers, a growing number of visitors, and continue to add more special brews and entertainment such as live music during summer Saturdays and street food vendors.”
Jo Willis, community development officer at Ray Wind Fund, said: “It has been a privilege to support First & Last Brewery.
"We are delighted to have played a part in its growth and to see it creating jobs, supporting other local businesses and contributing to the growth of the community and local economy.”
Sam added: “We are proud to be a Northumberland business. We want to remain rooted here.
“The Ray Wind Fund support has been fundamental to where we are today and we really appreciate the way the fund has worked with us.”
*The Ray Wind Fund supports projects, organisations and individuals that benefit communities surrounding Ray Wind Farm in Northumberland.
For more information, go to raywindfund.co.uk.