MONDAY mornings have a happy feeling again for a number of people in Yeoford because the weekly Cafe Company coffee mornings for anyone and everyone have started again at Holy Trinity Church from 10am-11am. There are also plans to serve monthly lunches in the church.

At the coffee mornings there are always home-made cakes and scones. For the time being the vestry has become a kitchen.

Application for match funding has been made to the National Churches Trust to turn the vestry into a proper kitchen and put in a disabled toilet.

The church has raised £16,000 towards the work. Licensed Lay Minister Carol Price explained that when the old wooden Village Hall across the road was sold and two houses built on the site, the church lost facilities it had shared with the hall.

She added that this was a particular problem for events and services such as weddings, baptisms or funerals, especially when people had travelled some distance.

“When we do the lunches, food will be cooked at home and we will bring it in slow cookers so it can stay hot. This will be on the first Monday of each month. People will need to book, keep an eye open for notices in the ‘Village Voice’ and on the Hub,” she said.

The primary school across the road uses the church for services and performances and it also has a library. Carol hoped more use would be made of the church once the kitchen and toilets were installed.

“We have been raising money for the past three years. Several fundraising events planned for last year had to be cancelled or postponed and, of course, we had that long Covid lockdown,” she added.

“We are completely self-supporting, the only grant we get is from Crediton Hamlets Parish Council for cutting the grass in our church yard,” Carol explained.

“We will hear in November if we are successful and the builder is ready to start.”

Anyone wishing to help can send a donation to Carol Price at The Cleave, Woodland Head, Yeoford EX17 5HF, making a cheque out to Holy Trinity Church, Yeoford.