Thrift Shop 2009

This year it will run from 4th to 29th May.  Time to get organised folks!

THE THRIFT SHOP AND CAFÉ 2008

Our shop and Tearoom closed on the 20^th June after a very successful five weeks of trading which raised the fantastic sum of £9.845.

With a loyal band of helpers, I have run it now for the last six years and each year the total gets bigger and bigger!

A lot of work goes on behind the scenes long before the shop opens as goods are stored in the lofts months before. All have to then be priced and taken down into the Church when the time to begin arrives.

After the Shop closes the remainder of the goods are packed up ready to be taken by Blythswood to headquarters. This year we also gave goods to the Cancer Shop and to the ‘Niffty Thrifty,’ as part of our policy to try and help others as well as ourselves.

Our tearoom proved to be a meeting place for friends and the wider community. We were again pleased to welcome the Ugievale Day Care, Roanheads Day Care. North School Blind Club, Anna Ritchie School, Peterhead Ramblers, Wayfarers and other groups from Boddam Church. We were also please to see many from the Salvation Army and the Methodist Church as we were to see members from all other denominations. It was a great time of fellowship! Ministers were well to the fore also, as well as our own Minister and her husband, Rev William Taylor and his good lady, Dr Ross and Pam who brought her dad along, Rev James Wishart and his wife Helen, the Rev Yvonne Hendrie from Whitehills, Rev Isobel Buchan and her husband from Tarvis. We were also delighted to welcome Paul Govier and his wife from the Mission and Captain Debbie Bennett from the Salvation Army. All enjoyed their cuppa and home-bake.

It was a joy to have the elderly couple from Glasgow who come to Fraserburgh every year when the Thrift Shop is open so that they can join us a few times, they always say ‘the best coffee and home-bakes there are! Among our other guests were had a lady and her daughter from America whose grandparents were married in the Church. They took a great many photographs and I told them to take a picture of the list of past ministers, so that on their return they could match up the date of the marriage to the minister-they are now thrilled and going back to have a film-show for their friends.

A brother and sister who now live in Alness and Aberchirder spent a happy time in the tearoom, church and hall. He was in the Boys’ Brigade more than sixty years ago and remembered marching round the hall. He also recalled how he played in the BB band. They left Peterhead quite young and were so pleased to recall happy childhood days. The Indian Captain from the ship ‘Grampian Explorer joined us a few times and on his last visit brought his chief engineer to enjoy the home-bakes. We also had a lady from Australia and one from Romania and indeed some from many parts of the UK.

It is lovely meeting all of the people and they each took time to remark upon our lovely Church and our friendly welcome. What a wonderful impression to give of our Church and congregation to others. Many noted too, how nice the Downie Room looked since its refurbishment.

We were delighted this year to have some of our male members with us who came along to wash dishes-some of our bakers were also male.

The shop and café are places of much laughter and friendly banter and on the last afternoon we had them all up singing while some of us dressed up. Everyone left with a smile of their face and said ‘What a tonic!’ Our minister agrees that this is a great ministry, as are all the others within our church, some quieter, maybe less obvious, yet just as important, and is so supportive of us all that it adds to our enjoyment.

To all who donated goods and money, baking, jam, toffee, lemon curd, plants and dish-cloths, to all who served, washed dishes, packed and carried, disposed of cardboard, checked our electrical goods and sold goods on E-bay, to everyone who came to buy and enjoy their cuppa, to the all members of the congregation who were so supportive-thanks a million, or should I say thanks £9.845!

God willing, hope to see you all next year, till then be safe, God bless.

Auntie Wainwright

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Contact Information

Peterhead Old Parish Church, Kirk Square, Peterhead AB42 1RQ

Our Minister  is Rev Pauline Thomson MA BD, The Manse, 1 Hawthorn Road, Peterhead AB42 2DW Tel: 01779 472618

Our Session Clerk is Mrs Hazel Ross 22 Linksfield Terrace, Peterhead, 01779 471383

Electronic mail can be sent via the message page or to john@mucklekirk.co.uk
 

                                                                                                       Last modified: 02-05-09                                                                                                    Scottish Charity Number SCO11147