Pewsey Vale Community Craft and Tearoom has been at the centre of the village community for 30 years. It is run entirely by volunteers and offers a very reasonably priced menu including morning coffee or tea with Marshalls famous tea cakes, soup and toasted sandwiches or baked potatoes for lunch followed by delicious home-made cakes. The tearoom sells local crafts – knitted goods, handcrafted walking sticks, cards, stationery, handbags and also promotes local artists by featuring an artist of the month. Popular with local people, cyclists, walkers and visitors, the tearoom is currently open Wednesday to Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm. The organisers are appealing for more volunteers so they can open the tearoom every day of the week.
Christine Barnett, training manager, told Marlborough.news, “We are on the lookout for more volunteers and then we will be able to open for more days and be able to offer this great service to the community. We have no paid staff and any small profits that we make are donated to local charities. If you would like to join our friendly team and meet more local people, you will be given appropriate training and be rewarded with homemade cakes!”
Chair, Liz Yeadon, who co-ordinates the committee and volunteers explained, “Volunteering with us is extremely flexible. Some people volunteer once a month, while others will do once a week or every other week. There are two shifts each day with two volunteers serving our customers. If you would like to join us as a volunteer please phone me on 07990734576.”
Mary Ward, Founder and Honorary President of the tearoom, was enjoying coffee and cake with friends when Marlborough.news visited. She said, “I’m immensely proud of Pewsey. If it hadn’t been for the volunteers the tearoom wouldn’t be going now. We have regulars of different ages. It’s a good meeting place and cyclists in particular are very keen on a big chunky slice of fruit cake.
The tearoom has its origin in the recession at the beginning of the 1990’s. I had just retired and wanted to give something back to the community where my husband and I had made our home and brought up our family. Pewsey was in a sorry state – boarded up shop fronts, an abandoned garage and a general run down look. An article appeared in the local magazine asking what’s to be done? It came to me – a community tearoom – there wasn’t one – maybe selling local crafts as well.”
The tearoom and craft centre opened on October 23rd, 1993 – so 30 years old this year. They will be shut on Coronation day – May 6th but there is a special opening on Coronation Monday from 10-5pm when they will be offering teas, coffees, cakes and scones. If you are a local artist who would like to be considered for artist of the month phone Liz on 07990734576. The tearoom and craft centre is located in Old Ford Court, High Street, Pewsey SN9 5AQ just a short distance from the Co-op car park.
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