THE Lions Club of Reading has unveiled plans for its first Wine, Beer and Cider Festival in July.

The two-day event is planned for Reading Town Football Club in Scours Lane, Tilehurst, on Friday and Saturday, July 26 and 27, with food, drink and music and plans to top the �10,000 raised for charity at the Lions Firework party at the same venue in November.

The different genres of music will include Kindred Spirit, The Frisbys, Stomping Nomads, Richard Cox-Smith, the 7Rifles Band from Brock Barracks and local bands and local groups, with festival backers Reading 107fm providing the running entertainment.

Breweries and micro breweries on tap will include West Berks, Loddon Brewery, Binghams, Hook Norton, Triple F, Loose Cannon, Rebellion, Sherfield Village Brewery and Wadworths; and a Reading Lions Festival Beer is being brewed by Loddon Brewery at Dunsden Green.

There will also be a Mocktail Bar serving traditional lemonade and non-alcoholic Pimms-style drinks, made with fruit juices, with food available on both days. The festival will run from 5-10.30pm on the Friday and midday-10.30 pm on the Saturday.

All the festival proceeds are going to the Duchess of Kent House Charity, Reading Mencap and the Reading Lions Prostate Awareness Day, plus some other worthy causes, and organisers are looking for company sponsorship, which would include free publicity on Reading 107fm, corporate hospitality and promotion at the event.

Also required are programme advertisers, food sellers, help to publicise the event via company noticeboards or other methods, and general volunteers (see www.readinglions.org.uk).

Eric Warner, past president of Reading Lions and festival organiser, said: "Although all members of the Lions club offer their services free of charge, additional support, sponsorship of the event or help with local publicity will ensure success and make a significant impact in our ability to help local needy causes."

Tickets, including a free pint of beer or cider, or a glass of wine, a souvenir beer glass and drinks listing, will be on sale from May 1. For Friday they are �10 or �8.50 in advance and Saturday �15 (�13.50). On sale at www.reading107.com and other outlets in Reading, see www.readinglions.org.uk

Headline bands are: (Friday) The Frisbys, http://thefrisbysband.amazingtunes.com and (Saturday) Kindred Spirit, www.elainesamuels.co.uk