Hero IPA campaign raises £2,940 for Help for Heroes across Stonegate and Craft Union Pubs
- Guild Secretary
- 6 minutes ago
- 4 min read
Aldershot, UK – [26th February 2026] — Alf Turner has announced the successful outcome of its autumn Hero IPA campaign with Stonegate Group, raising £2,940 for Help for Heroes following a nationwide rollout across Craft Union and Publican Partnerships pubs during the Remembrance Day period.
The limited-time activation saw 588 casks sold, equating to more than 41,000 pints of Hero IPA enjoyed by customers across the estate — each pint contributing directly to funds supporting wounded, injured and sick veterans and their families.
Brewed exclusively by Surrey’s Hogs Back Brewery, Hero IPA combined quality cask ale with a clear charitable purpose, resonating strongly with operators and local communities alike.
Throughout the campaign, the Alf Turner and Hogs Back teams visited pubs stocking the beer to engage directly with operators and customers, while social media activity helped drive additional public awareness and footfall, amplifying the impact of the promotion beyond the bar.
The campaign concluded with a cheque presentation to Mark Elliott, Chief Advocacy Ambassador and one of the founder members of Help for Heroes, at Hogs Back Brewery, where partners from across the collaboration came together to celebrate the collective fundraising effort made possible by pub operators and customers across the Stonegate and Craft Union estate.
Those present from left to right:
Gina Fletcher, National Account Controller
Lucy Barker, Operations Director, Craft Union Pubs
Paul Turner, Managing Director, Alf Turner
Mark Elliott, Founding Member, Help for Heroes
Miles Chesterman, Managing Director, Hogs Back Brewery
Paul Turner, Managing Director, Alf Turner, said:
“We’re incredibly proud of the response to The Hero IPA across the Stonegate and Craft Union pubs during the Remembrance Day period. To see £2,940 raised for Help for Heroes through something as simple as enjoying a pint is a powerful reminder of how our industry can come together to support those who have served. On behalf of everyone at Alf Turner, I’d like to thank the teams behind the bar and the customers who helped make this contribution possible.”
Miles Chesterman, Managing Director, Hogs Back Brewery, added:
“It’s fantastic to see the campaign deliver both strong engagement and meaningful funds for Help for Heroes. Hero IPA is first and foremost a high-quality, expertly brewed cask ale — full of character, balance and consistency — so it stands on its own merits at the bar. The fact it also supports such an important cause makes every pint poured even more meaningful for our team and for the communities we serve.”
Lucy Barker, Operations Director, Craft Union Pubs, said:
“This charity cask campaign reflects Craft Union’s focus on being at the heart of our local communities. Our pubs are proud to support initiatives that bring people together for a good cause, and the response, as always, from our operators and customers has been heart-warming.”
This latest activity builds on Alf Turner’s long-standing partnership with Help for Heroes, which has now raised more than £323,000 for the charity to date.
By combining strong retail execution, local pub engagement and social awareness, Hero IPA continues to demonstrate how the on-trade can play a meaningful role in supporting the armed forces community.
ENDS
Notes to editors:
Why This Matters
Help for Heroes provides vital physical, mental, and welfare support to the UK Armed Forces community. By partnering with Stonegate, Alf Turner is ensuring Hero IPA reaches more communities nationwide, creating a meaningful way for people to mark Remembrance while giving back.
Hogs Back Brewery
Hogs Back Brewery was founded in 1992 in Tongham, in the traditional hop growing region of Surrey. Its flagship brand, Tongham TEA (Traditional English Ale), is a leading regional ale in the south-east.
The brewery's range includes award-winning draught, bottled, and canned beers, showcasing its blend of brewing expertise and innovation. Notable awards include:
Little Swine 0.5%: Gold medals in the European Beer Challenge 2024, SIBA National Independent Beer Awards 2024, with Bronze medals at the World Alcohol Free Awards 2024 and International Beer Challenge 2025.
A over T (Aromas over Tongham) 9% ABV: CAMRA’s Champion Bottled Beer of Britain 2020.
Hogstar lager: Gold medal in the World Beer Awards 2017.
Hazy Hog: Bronze medal in the International Cider Challenge 2019.
Tongham TEA: The first beer brewed by Hogs Back in 1992, Tongham TEA has won multiple awards including runner-up in CAMRA’s Champion Beer of Britain in 2000.
In 2014 Hogs Back planted its own revival hop garden, and since then has been successfully harvesting its Fuggles, English Cascade, and heritage Farnham White Bine hops, which provide approximately 50% of its annual hop requirements. With 8.5 acres under cultivation, it is the largest integrated hop grower and brewer in the UK.
In 2024, it won the Le May Cup for its White Bine hop and received Gold and Silver awards for its Fuggles and English Cascade hops, respectively.
Committed to sustainability, Hogs Back has introduced 120 solar panels to its roof, sells spent grain to local farmers as animal feed and aims to reduce its single-use plastic, having introduced refillable glass Snorters and Snifters flagons. It has removed over 20,000 PETs bottles from its business and earning Plastic Free Champion status from Surfers Against Sewage.
In 2024, Hogs Back stepped in to help craft brewer Mondo, investing to secure the future of its brands and the brewery and taproom in Battersea.
In January 2025, Miles Chesterman became Managing Director, with owner Rupert Thompson now serving as Executive Chairman.
In May 2025, Hogs Back entered into a collaboration with Exmoor Ales, investing in a restructure and taking a significant minority stake in the new business, Exmoor Drinks Ltd.
Contact for Hogs Back Brewery:
Jill Adams, Director of Marketing, Hogs Back Brewery
07879 334675
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