AMBULANCE staff got a chance to wet their whistles after a generous brewer handed the key workers cases of beer.

Bedlam Brewery near Ditchling wanted to thank the crew at the South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust.

Danny Hoskins, the brewery’s sales and marketing director, visited the crew and presented them with a few cases of beer to share among the team.

He said he could tell they appreciated the offer from the number of staff who showed up to carry the cases.

The Argus:

“We’ve been so overwhelmed by the support shown to them during the current situation and the hospitality industry as a whole, that we wanted to show our support to the community too,” he said.

“Without the support from our beer lovers this would not have been possible.

“We’d like to thank everyone who has supported us over the past few weeks.”

In some respects, the brewery has been lucky amid the lockdown.

Just before the restrictions set in, Bedlam Brewery launched a new website allowing it to deliver from door to door with a new home delivery service. Danny said the beer is “going down a storm”.

The firm is now ferrying cans, bottles and miniature kegs of a rotating selection of beers across the county.

Danny said the team at Bedlam Brewery valued working with the community and is supporting nearby producers. The company is also delivering wine from the Albourne Estate near Hassocks and Ditchling Gin for home delivery in Sussex, available via its online shop.

The company was set up in 2012, the brainchild of friends Nick Cooper and James O’Connor, who began brewing as a hobby. Now it is a major operation and has made something of a name for itself in the industry.

It is especially proud of its environmental credentials. It brews beer using solar power on a farm in the heart of the South Downs. The hops are composted and the spent grain is used to feed cattle.

The company is delivering to mainland UK and offers free home delivery within Sussex to customers who spend £60 or more.

Beer-lovers living in Hassocks, Hurstpierpoint, Burgess Hill, Ditchling, Plumpton and Wivelsfield Green benefit from completely free delivery.

The firm said: “With the good news that we’re able to visit the gardens of friends and family, it might be time to stock up and share and drink responsibly.”

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