Cask ale champion and MP for Dudley South, Mike Wood (left) has been named Beer Drinker of the Year by the All Party Parliamentary Beer Group (APPBG).

Group chairman Alun Cairns (right) said: “When the Covid-19 pandemic hit in 2020, Mike worked tirelessly to support the beer and pub sectors, among the hardest hit by the successive lockdowns and enforced closures.

“He was instrumental in raising the profile of the industry’s plight, working to secure meetings with ministers and achieve a level of support for the industry that enabled businesses to survive and jobs to be saved.”

When chair of the APPBG, Wood held a number of inquiries into issues such as pub business rates, the future of cask beer and unlocking pubs’ potential.