Hope Cottage Café for food, drink, internet access and a chat! See you there!

Time to relax? Why not join us?

We are a warm, welcoming café serving fairly traded drinks and a selection of snacks. Disabled access throughout including the garden area. Open Mon-Sat 10am-12.30pm. Toys are available for the under 5s. There is an enclosed and secluded garden in which to relax on fine days and a FairTrade shop on the premises. Fortnightly local government surgeries are held on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of each month. The café is run by local volunteers from the church and some other friends and has much local information available. Laptop computers are now also available for Internet access.

In late 1998 the cottage adjacent to the church (pictured above) was put up  for sale. For a few years we had been saying that our premises were becoming too small, particularly for the children's work, and how lovely it would be if we could ever buy the cottage - not dreaming for a moment that it would even come onto the market.

When it became available it seemed like a dream come true - but how could we afford it? We were still heavily in debt following the renovation work on the church itself. But somehow, through grants and more promised fund-raising, God managed the impossible, and early in 1999 we held the dedication service following its purchase. The service was led by the two ministers at the time - Rev. Paul Snell (URC) and Rev. Alan Rothwell (Methodist). (Alan then moved on to bigger and better things in Plymouth! He is now minister at Tiverton. Paul left to become Evangelism enabler for the URC in the South West.)

The story up to that point can be heard from a recording made at the original dedication service in 1999, with the then ministers and church members. Click here to hear the recording.

THINGS MOVED ON!
HOPE COTTAGE CAFE IS NOW OPEN SIX DAYS A WEEK!

After many years of discussion, obtaining plans, etcetera, the work to provide disabled access to Hope Cottage and provide a link through to the main church building finally went ahead in 2006. The existing kitchen was gutted, and was knocked through to make on big meeting room downstairs, with a new kitchen beyond. A sloping path leads from it behind the church building, entering the church building at the rear door. A lovely conservatory area has been created in the area between the new kitchen and the rear entrance.

With many willing volunteers, there is now a cafe in the cottage every Monday to Saturday from 10am to 12.30pm, with hot and cold drinks and snacks. There is also a small Fair Trade shop available during opening hours. So if you are visiting the area why not call in and see us?

The official opening of the renovated cottage took place on Saturday 9th June 2007, with over 70 visitors and friends joining together for a service of celebration for the fitting out and opening of the new Hope Cottage Café. After a time of worship and readings, Rev Jeff Moles emphasised how the whole project had been built on Jesus as the Cornerstone and that those who had been involved in the work from the beginning had seen God's hand at work at every stage. After the service, the cottage and beautiful garden filled with friends and helpers as well as members for a cream tea.

We hope that Hope Cottage will be a means of making contact with people who would not consider venturing into a church. It is used by community groups for meetings as well.

Drop in for a cuppa from Monday to Saturday from 10am to 12.30pm and say hello. We'd love to see you!

We now have internet access and laptops for use for a small charge (£1 an hour). We have joined cyberspace!

The first laptop to be used was on the 6th June 2008 by regular customer and church member Phyllis, seen above browsing our website! (What else!)

West Devon's Connect service meets fortnightly at the cottage, on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays. More details of the services they provide are available from their website.

The garden room, with a view through the hatch to the kitchen and through the door to the main room.

Outside in the garden, you can enjoy the sunshine - when it appears!

Below, the main garden in May 2008, bereft of people before opening hours!

There is also a more secluded garden area, complete with well, to get away from it all.

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