SUMMER WINE APPRECIATION SOCIETY Formed in 1993 & run by fans of all ages President: Clive Eardley - pictured below with a rather strange looking character... Exclusive shots: View Clive's personal collection of location photos and reports - please click here.

About our Society and how to join

Did you know there is a locally-run society for Summer Wine fans with a membership dotted all over the world?

A society so well regarded that it not only helps the BBC with advice and research on future episodes, but all the cast are now members!

Clive Eardley, President of the Summer Wine Appreciation Society, explained about the history of the group.  

"Formed in 1993, the society is run by fans of all ages," he said. 

"We produce a journal called Deep in the Heart of Yorkshire which includes location guides, interviews with the cast past and present, and updates on the latest series of the programme.

"We also produce exclusive items only available through the society such as photos and a yearly calendar with all the stars of the show."

Clive said their main aim was to unite the many fans of the programme across the world.

"We also advise the BBC on possible video releases and merchandising. When the series celebrated its 25^th birthday recently, the society provided research for the programme, and we constantly advise and check on various publications regarding the programme.

"All the cast of the programme are members so if you love Last of the Summer Wine and want to join in appreciating the world’s longest comedy series, then get in touch."

NOTE: Membership is for ONE YEAR and cost £12 for the UK and £14 for overseas members. You must send 2xA4 envelopes with minimum of £1.20 on stamps on each one and £1.50 for overseas members. Send your membership fee and envelopes to Clive at the details below.  Unfortunately, the SWAS cannot accept credit card payments. 

Contact Info: 

Email  swas_society@btinternet.com or clivefireflash@btinternet.com

Telephone (44) 01924 893340.

Or write to him at: (NEW ADDRESS)

Other Benefits 


The society produces a newsletter called "Deep in the Heart of Yorkshire" named after one of the episodes of the series and for your membership you will receive three of these journals packed with location information, interviews and the very latest news on the new series.

We also give away videos from the BBC and lots of other goodies. We have produced limited edition Calendars with exclusive photos only available to members. The society was instrumental in getting the incidental music of the series issued and providing research on the 25 Years documentary in 1995  for the BBC.

Formed in 1993, the society is run by fans for fans and boasts a membership of over 500 from the many countries around the world, with members in such countries as Great Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

In the past, journals have featured interviews with Alan J Bell, Bill Owen, Peter Sallis, Brian Wilde, Frank Thornton, Jean Alexander, Jane Freeman, Robert Fyfe and such guest starts as Norman Wisdom, Kenneth Cope and Jack Smethurst, also in the planning stages is a complete A-Z of the series characters and a Quiz book.

A Personal Welcome from Clive


President and Founder Member of Summer Wine Appreciation Society

As President of The Summer Wine Appreciation Society I would like to say hello and introduce myself and the rest of the Committee to everyone on the web.

In 1992, I made my usual pilgrimage to the town of Holmfirth, the home of my favourite television series. Little did I know at that time that I would become involved to such an extent in the programme. Now seven years later I have worked as researcher on 2 documentaries, written numerous articles and features on the series and been involved extensively in researching the recent book on Last of the Summer Wine which was released in April.

The society was formed in 1993 when the programme had already been on television for over 20 years but having had a discussion with Malcolm Howarth, then proprietor of the Summer Wine Exhibition in Holmfirth for the demand for an Appreciation Society, I put pen to paper and contacted the Producer/Director Alan J.W Bell. After a short pause he wrote back to me inviting myself to join him and the cast on location in Holmfirth for the start of filming on the 1993 series. I was delighted and on that first day found myself posing for photos with members of the cast including dear Bill Owen and Peter Sallis and Kathy Staff. This was only the beginning. Later that year as the society expanded, Margaret Tillotson and Margaret Parson joined the committee and added their enthusiasm and love of the programme by helping me put together our first newsletter. Margaret Tillotson put the first journal together with up to date episode guides and an interview with Alan J.W Bell, the producer. While Margaret Parson backed it with her extensive knowledge of locations for filming.

These early days were difficult but we all had one thing in common which we can boast of on our membership forms - it is a society run by fans for fans. Later other members of the committee were to join including Mike Fernley and Tony Burton, and again their keenness to get involved was the key factor. Watching filming is not always what people believe. The sun is not forever shining and it means very early starts in a morning but if you love the programme then it makes it all worthwhile. One thing that I have always felt about the film crew is that over the years it has been like an extended family and that many of the local people have become good friends of which I must mention a few of them: Malcolm Howarth, Andrew Bray and family, Christine and Mike Adams, Ron and Ruth Backhouse, Colin at Sid's Cafe, Sonia and Barry Lee,  Jill Mosely, Jacky (who worked in the exhibition) and of course my more recent friends, Mike Wallbank and Patrick Brooke. A society is not run by one person but by many separate parts and I want to thank everyone concerned for their help over the past 7 years.