‘IT saved my sanity,’ said Patricia Limberg, 81, of Milverton’s Fair Trade Cafe, which has marked its tenth anniversary. Having experienced a serious house fire followed by the death of her husband, the support and friendship and laughter she enjoyed at the cafe restored her well-being.

Now renamed The Community Cafe, held in the Methodist Chapel on Wednesdays, it provides a coffee and cake for £1 and on the last Wednesday in the month an excellent ‘soup and pud’ lunch for £2.50. Run entirely by volunteers who bake and cook it has become a main meeting point for friends, for newcomers to meet residents and for those, like Mrs Limberg, who find themselves alone, to be welcomed into the fun and laughter. Some eventually are drawn into the voluntary team. It is the need to be needed that the cafe so wonderfully embraces.

The cafe was the initiative of the Rev Michael Parsons, the then Methodist Minister, and the then Rector of St Michael’s, Milverton, the Reverend Andrew Norris. Returning to celebrate with his wife, Rev Parsons said how amazed he was at the cafe’s success. The Rev Helene Stainer, the present Rector at Milverton, said the cafe crosses all barriers and brings everyone together from all walks of life and ages.

Gwilym Wren, clerk to the parish council, enjoying a break to have a coffee and cake, said it was a good initiative and an excellent resource for the village.

It has had such a profound effect that Olive Thomas, a long-term resident who now lives with her daughter, continues, aged 90, to drive the hour’s journey to meet old friends at the cafe. Returning also for the celebration was Jenny Green who, while house hunting, had rented a property in Milverton and being on her own – knowing no-one – was lured to the cafe by a neighbour, Barbara Lawrence. Barbara organises the cafe and the rota and, of course, Jenny soon found herself baking and serving in the café.

Regular visitor PCSO Louise Fyne also enjoyed the celebration. She holds a regular surgery in Milverton, but says the people she sees there are a very different group of people she meets at the cafe, and, importantly, she never goes away without someone reporting a problem she might otherwise have not been made aware.

There is always a buzz when opening the doors of the cafe on a Wednesday morning but on the day of the tenth anniversary celebration the buzz had greatly increased. Milverton residents had been invited to celebrate with a free coffee and cake, a ‘soup and pud’ lunch and a special afternoon cream tea. Recently widowed Mike Brett managed to enjoy all three! Some people took cakes or scones off for those too old or frail to get to the cafe.

But in ten years change has inevitably taken place. When the cafe first opened in 2008 several pregnant mothers would come and chat, and they continued to come with their babies who in time were crawling around and under elderly legs and between zimmer frames. It was a wonderful mixture of the very young being enjoyed by the very old residents. A creche area was set up with toys so that mothers could relax and the children could mix and play with other local children. Sadly the days of approaching the door through parked pushchairs and walking frames have gone, and very few mothers now come, though half-terms see a surge of younger people with children, especially in the summer when, on sunny days, tables are set up outside. There are opportunities for carers to meet and every now and then a group of Nynehead Court residents have an outing and ‘book’ a table to enjoy lunch at the cafe.

The cafe enjoys welcoming cyclists and passing visitors or walkers. So if you find yourselves in Milverton on a Wednesday morning, do pop in and enjoy wonderful food and conversation.

ELIZABETH MCDOWELL