FOR 86 years a group of women has been pulling pints and raising funds for people in Colchester.

But while its work continues, the uncertain future of the pub trade across the country is having its own effect on their selfless activities.

Every other month, the Ladies Auxiliary of Colchester and District Licensed Traders get together to set-up fundraising events.

The group has recently handed over £3,000 to four local causes and its Licensed Traders Charity.

The charity needs support more than ever as 35 pubs nationally close for good every week.

The members admit the town, and as a result their group, has suffered, but they are not giving up without a fight. Anita Cook, secretary, said: “We used to have loads of members, but we are now quite small in number.

“We fear for the future of the group because we are not getting new members coming forward and we are not getting any younger.”

Of the nine members of the group, two are still landladies, six are former landladies and one is a kind-hearted regular customer who stepped forward to help.

Kathy Parker, landlady of the Flag, in Wivenhoe, said the challenges remain the same for licensees who are battling against supermarkets selling cheap booze, customers with less cash and the rising costs of running businesses.

She said: “Even having things like satellite television is expensive and then you have to justify spending that money by getting the customers in.

“People want to have barbecues in their garden and buy their drink in. It is very hard.”

Angela Thompson, landlady of the Lord Nelson, says the smoking ban was a massive blow for publicans.

All of this makes it difficult for the group to maintain its support for charitable events, but it battles on.

The charities most recently benefiting include the East Anglian Children’s Hospices and the Colchester branches of the Alzheimer’s Society and Stroke Association.

The group is the female equivalent of the Licensed Victualler’s Association, but the men do not raise money for outside charities.

Mrs Cook added: “It is all for the trade itself. But they did donate £300 from their recent annual banquet which we were very grateful.”

The Colchester Auxiliary was set up in 1924 and is one of the oldest in the country.

In times gone by, members would go on trips to breweries and meet once a month.

This has had to change to meeting every other month and donating cash once every two years.

Jean Lay, treasurer, said: “It is getting difficult to come up with ideas where we can make real money, because we need to sell enough tickets and there are not as many pubs in Colchester as there used to be.”

The group has more to offer then just raising money.

She added: “I am a regional adviser for the trade and we are noticing many young people running pubs who are having serious problems.

“We try to offer them legal advice and things like that.”

Mrs Thompson said one of the main difficulties with getting new members for the Auxiliary was people were either tenants at pubs or they do not stay long.

The hope is more people will come forward to help support their charity work.

For now the group is showing no signs of calling time on its venture. To get involved contact Mrs Cook at anitabrian.cook @btinternet.com