Retrospective: CAMRA Welcome Week 2024 in Manchester

As the CAMRA Greater Manchester Young Member Coordinator, a former multi student society chair, and a passionate advocate for beer, I saw an opportunity to introduce new and existing students to the world of real ale. Drawing from my knowledge of where societies socialized during my university years, I set out to coordinate a CAMRA Welcome Week in Manchester. This post reflects on the planning process, what worked well, the challenges faced, and the key insights gained.

Planning the Welcome Week

To ensure a successful series of events, I engaged with several nearby branches and senior CAMRA members, including:

• Ralph Warrington – Regional Director for the North West
• Laura Coles – Events Recruitment Officer
• Matthew Holland – Membership Operations Officer
• Val Langford - Volunteer Support Manager

All of which gave plently of advice and helped facilitate things such as promotional materials, including pull-up banners and sign-up tablets, and set up a tracking system so that HQ could monitor new member sign-ups in real time. Additionally, CAMRA HQ funded two free pints for new members, which was mostly administered through Central Manchester CAMRA, the branch I chair, alongside printing costs for posters that I personally designed and arranged for printing.

Choosing the Right Venues and Events

I researched and emailed student unions to identify their student fair dates, which varied across universities. Based on this, I selected venues using several key criteria:

• Proximity to university buildings and students' unions
• Popularity among students, based on my prior experience
• Quality of real ale available at the venue
• Ability to accommodate token distribution and redemption logistics

However, I quickly realized that these criteria often conflicted. Few venues close to university campuses served high-quality real ale, requiring compromises between accessibility and beer quality. After evaluating multiple options, I finalized a selection that provided a balanced mix of student-friendliness, atmosphere, and beer quality.

Understanding the Student Audience

As a data-driven person, I analyzed student societies across Manchester’s three major universities:

• University of Manchester: 472 societies
• University of Salford: 108 societies
• Manchester Metropolitan University: 89 societies

I also examined how societies communicate online:

From this research, it became clear that Instagram was the dominant platform, with 57% of societies primarily using it. Other platforms played a smaller role, and direct outreach had mixed success. Despite enthusiasm from some societies, overall engagement was limited at this stage.

Key Insights from Student Feedback

Throughout the events, I gathered valuable feedback from students, leading to these key takeaways:

1. Student Drinking Habits Are Changing

A growing number of students are drinking less, mirroring national trends. Some expressing interest in non-alcoholic options, reinforcing discussions previously covered in CAMRA’s "Pubs. Pints. People." podcast:

• Non-alcoholic brews
• Low and no alcohol beer and cider

2. Timing Matters – Students Lacked Disposable Income

A major hurdle was financial timing. Student loans were not released until late September, yet Welcome Week events occurred earlier. This meant many students were hesitant to spend money on memberships. Future recruitment efforts should align more closely with loan disbursement dates.

Future Improvements and Recommendations

Seeding a Student Society

A key long-term strategy I intend to execute is to establish a CAMRA-affiliated student society at one or more universities. This would provide a consistent presence on campus, allowing for more direct engagement with students throughout the academic year. Additionally, forming an official student society would grant access to student fairs, meaning we could have a table at freshers' fairs for free, significantly increasing visibility and recruitment opportunities.

Introducing Flexible Membership Options

One of my key suggestions to CAMRA HQ was offering monthly membership payments. This could take two possible forms:

• An annual membership paid in installments
• A true monthly membership with the option to cancel anytime

The main challenge here is logistics, particularly regarding physical membership cards and Real Ale Vouchers. However, CAMRA’s new digital membership system, currently in internal trials, may resolve these issues.

Expanding Event Offerings

Based on student feedback, previous plans and past event success, I intend to introduce:

• Taproom tours showcasing Manchester’s vibrant brewery scene
• Non-alcoholic beer tastings to cater to shifting drinking habits
• Themed talks and educational events in collaboration with CAMRA Learn & Discover (leveraging my experience running Discovery Bars at beer festivals)

Enhancing Online Presence and SEO Strategy

To better engage students and increase event visibility, I intend to create SEO-optimized blog posts, including:

• "Welcome Week Guide: Breweries in AREA You Must Visit"
• "First-Year Student’s Guide to AREA’s Best Pubs and Breweries"
• "AREA Pub Quiz Nights: Fun Spots for Students"

These posts will provide useful content while driving organic traffic to CAMRA’s events and boosting membership opportunities.

Final Thoughts

While organizing the CAMRA Welcome Week presented challenges, it was a valuable learning experience. The insights gained will hopefully shape future recruitment strategies and event planning.