A NEW partnership is brewing up between a York business and the city’s hospice.

A special fundraising ale is to be created as part of the support being pledged by Copmanthorpe-based Ainsty Ales Brewery to St Leonard’s Hospice.

The relationship has come about after Ainsty Ales raised £500 for the Tadcaster Road hospice as part of last October’s charity beer festival, Coptoberfest.

Established in 2014, the festival has become an annual event in Copmanthorpe and is the brainchild of Andy Herrington, of Ainsty Ales, and Geoff Mumford, vicar at St Giles Church in the village.

The third annual festival, held in the church last October, raised £3,500 overall for ten local charities, taking the total amount raised for local causes to more than £10,000 to date.

Mr Herrington said: “We are delighted to support St Leonard’s Hospice. I was born in Acomb and now live in Copmanthorpe and it’s so rewarding to give back to local charities and community groups.

“Following the successful relationship developed over the past three years via Coptoberfest, Ainsty Ales is very pleased to be an official partner of the hospice this year.

“We’ll be working together to help promote both the hospice and the brewery, and have a few exciting ideas up our sleeves already, so watch this space.”

A special ale, Lenny’s Light Ale, created in collaboration with the hospice, will donate 15p from every pint sold to St Leonard’s. It will be ready to be sampled by the public at this year’s Coptoberfest.

Sarah Atkinson, hospice community fundraiser, said: “Ainsty Ales has always been a great supporter of ours. Their whole ethos is fantastic and we are delighted they have chosen to work closely with us on a few different projects. We can’t wait to see how things pan out this year.”

Coptoberfest will take place on October 13 and 14 .