DIRECTORS and staff of Elgoods Brewery, Wisbech, had four reasons to celebrate today as they prepared for another bumper season of visitors.

There was a double crop of cheques to present to local good causes, and a double crop of exhibitions opening to produce extra enjoyment at the visitors’ centre.

Wisbech Standard and Cambs Times Editor John Elworthy was invited to undertake two of the tasks on the Elgood family’s behalf as he handed over cheques to a local hospice and to the Welney wildlife centre.

Lindsey Atkin, community fund raiser for Tapping House Hospice at Kings Lynn, received a cheque for �252, the proceeds from last year’s successful Elgoods beer festival.

“We’d like to thank Elgoods for their continued support for our work,” she said. “It’s wonderful to receive such encouragement.”

On hand to help with the day’s event, held at the brewery, was John Rice of Peterborough CAMRA who had helped stage the beer festival.

Also in line to receive �300 was Julie Ward, centre manager of the Wildlife and Wetlands Trust at Welney, and most of the cash she received on the day was as the result of booming sales of Double Swan.

Elgoods donate a percentage of each sale of the beer and donate it to the work of the trust.

Julie explained the latest gift would help the trust improve disabled access to some of the remaining parts of the centre and help wheelchair users enjoy even more of the Welney experience.

Nigel Elgood, chairman, later introduced his two summer season “artists in residence” whose work is now no display in both the visitors’ centre and the neighbouring conference room.

Louise Stebbings of the Skylark Studios as Tydd Gote has put together a portfolio of work by herself and her friends, all show casing the Elgoods gardens and brewery.

And it’s a return visit for photographer Sue Payne who has put together a stunning collection of photographs. She had double cause for celebration: her first major commission, an assignment of photographs of Holt, appear this weekend in a Norfolk lifestyle magazine.

All of the paintings and photographs are offered for sale.

INFO: Elgoods has brewery tours from Tue-Thur, and the gardens, too, are open on those days. There are also occasional Sunday openings, and a garden show and craft fair. Visit the brewery website, www.elgoods-brewery.co.uk for details.