We encourage and welcome applications from all those who can demonstrate a desire to meet the Guild’s aims of “improving standards of communication and to extend the public knowledge of, interest in, and support for, beer, cider and pubs.”
The Guild has three classes of membership:
- Full membership
For individuals who are communicating about beer, cider and/or pubs on a regular basis. Full members include journalists, authors, producers, photographers, illustrators, marketeers and PRs. To apply for full membership, complete the form below. Annual membership costs £55 (dependent on method of payment, a small fee may be added to cover transaction fees). - Associate membership
If you are new or inexperienced at writing, it is likely you will initially be offered associate membership, with a view to moving up to full membership once you have built your experience and body of work. Associate members enjoy all the benefits of full membership, other than not being able to formally vote at Guild meetings. Associate members are also eligible to partake in one Guild-offered training session, free of charge. To apply for associate membership, complete the form below. Annual membership costs £55 (dependent on method of payment, a small fee may be added to cover transaction fees.) - Industry Partner membership
The Guild is supported by producers, pub companies, trade associations and suppliers to the industry who value the relationship with beer, cider and pub writers and other benefits that membership offers them. To find out more about, and apply for Industry Partner membership, please click here.
Benefits: Full and Associate Membership
Becoming a Full or Associate member of the Guild affords opportunities to engage with producers, licensees, industry leaders and media organisations. It also gives access to events, training and seminars.
Daily Alerts
Every weekday we send out news alerts to our members.
The content includes invitations to events, industry news, and submissions from both industry partners and individual members. Clearly your offerings must be relevant and engaging to be included – but if you’re an industry communicator, you’ll know that!
These daily newsletters are well received, widely read and offer unique and exclusive opportunities and offers for individual members.
Seminars and Training
We organise several seminars and specially selected training sessions, supplying our members with a wealth of information and knowledge from leading industry experts.
We canvass our members, find out what their requirements are, and plan a schedule based on these needs. Previous training courses include skills such as podcasting, writing a successful blog, mobile journalism, how to pitch stories to editors, photography skills, a digital marketing masterclass, plus technical training such as ‘off’ flavour identification in beer, and how to judge beer.
The aim is to provide members with a rich seam of material to communicate to a wider audience and the skills to improve standards of communication about beer, cider and pubs, and to extend the public knowledge of, interest in, and support for the industry.
Mentoring Programme
Associate members may require the support and guidance from an experienced Guild member. Our mentoring programme is designed to connect associate members with other members who have the relevant skills and experience to help.
As a full member, you may wish to be considered as a mentor and offer your expertise to an associate member, with a view to getting them accepted as a full member.
The aim is to provide support for new and/or inexperienced members to help develop their skills.
AGM
The Guild AGM is held annually and is an opportunity for members to see what the Guild has achieved over the previous twelve months and hear about future strategy and activity.
Full members have voting rights.
Social Events
Social events for members are regularly held and include:
Annual Awards & Dinner
The annual Awards ceremony and dinner is our most popular event of the year.
We celebrate the best communicators of the year in style with an Awards ceremony and a dinner served with expertly matched beers and ciders.
You may want to submit your own work for an award and reap the benefits of being a winner yourself. Entry to the Awards is free for Guild members (Non-members must pay a fee to enter, the amount of which is confirmed when the nomination phase opens).
This is an excellent opportunity to rub shoulders with other Guild members as well as our industry partners and industry leaders.
Summer Party
Traditionally held on the evening before the Great British Beer Festival, this is another highlight of our calendar. Join the Guild and put the date in the diary. We look forward to seeing you there!
Pin Badge and Digital Graphic
All Guild members are sent a smartly designed pin badge of the Guild’s logo as a ‘badge of recognition’ for their membership, and are provided with a graphic they can use on email signatures and websites.