Tea and coffee mornings have been an institution for the Friends of Tenovus Cancer Care for 40 years, raising thousands of pounds over a good brew and a slab of cake, as well as being good for the soul.
The group has been hosting tea and coffee mornings in the close-knit village since their records begun in 1983. Gwyneth Davies set up the group and Carol Owen, 88, took over as President in 2018.
Carol’s daughter and Friends of Tenovus Cancer Care member, Adeline Davies, said: “Our group have been holding tea parties and coffee mornings for years, and raised a substantial amount of money since the early 80s.
“Our minutes’ book shows just how many we’ve had over the years, and one thing never changes; the connection it brings. Getting together over a cup of tea and having a good chat is a real tonic and good for the soul.
It’s wonderful to be part of a committee with ladies from different walks of life, skills, and friendship groups, which works well as one team. Being able to come together over a cup of tea and chat is a wonderful thing. We’d encourage as many people as possible to join in with Tea for Ten this July.”
Just one of the Llandeilo groups coffee mornings raised over £7,000 in 2022. Claire Jones, the group secretary, shared a few of their secret recipe’s for success:
“The key to a good tea party is plenty of good organisation and planning. The main raffle is usually our biggest income usually selling about £2,000. Tombola’s are lots of fun and always sell well too.
We have a small but incredibly dedicated group of supporters. One volunteer that I’m in awe of, provides jams and chutneys to sell on the day. Her endeavours and sales alone can be in excess of £1,500.
We charge an entrance fee of £1 which includes Tea and biscuits - or Mince pie’s at Christmas. This encourages people to stay longer and gives the hall a lovely, busy social feel.
We often ask someone from our local community to open the event and they’re always really honoured and touched to have been asked. This is in turn well-respected and enjoyed by the people who attend, who love to see a very familiar face on stage”.
Tenovus Cancer Care are very fortunate to have over 20 Friends of Tenovus volunteer groups across Wales. Community events such as the Llandeilo Friends of Tenovus coffee morning can raise as much as a staggering £150,000 for the charity each year. It just goes to show that every cuppa really does count!
Find out more about Tea for Ten here and order your fundraising pack today.
