STABLES CHRISTIAN CENTRE

News

 

Coffee Shop - Open!

 

We are delightd to announce that our Coffee Shop is back!  Come and enjoy homemade cakes and drinks, maybe take a woodland walk, and if you want to take a bit of goodness home with you, our plants, craft products, marmalade, jam and chutneys will also be on sale.  The Coffee Shop is open on the first Saturday in the month from May to October from 2.00pm to 4.30pm. We will be serving hot and cold drinks and delicious homemade cakes.  Aunt Flo's chocolate cake is a firm favourite! 

 ***  JOIN US ON 3rd SEPTEMBER ***

           for a refreshing cuppa or one of a range of drinks on offer

 

Sales - Open for Business!

Our shop is open during Centre opening hours (most Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays between 9.30 and 3.30) or at other times if you phone beforehand to arrange.  Please browse (and purchase!) our range of preserves,herbs and craft items.  Some details have changed, so please ensure that you refresh the page you are viewing to get the most up-to-date information. If you are coming from a distance, just ring us to make sure.

 

Activities News

 

2022 May - July

 

The summer months were busy as ever as we weeded and watered, harvested and processed flowers and fruit, and tidied the site ready to re-open the coffee shop after the covid break.

 

         

 

       

We welcomed Mark in July as our new site manager, seen here on the right getting stuck into the job. 

 

We also prepared an order for 28 special gift bags of preserves for an event. 

    

Keeping cool was easier some days than others, but we kept going even through the heatwave.  At the end of the day teams come in to write up their folders – or just sit comfortably outside waiting for transport home.

     

 

 

 

2022 March - April

Much work was done to clear the damage caused by fallen trees during the storm, including one very large tree which came down in the water.  Everyone enjoyed watching Ben put on the waders!  Most of the Thursday team helped to winch and pull it out. 

   

      

We enjoyed having Petra with us for a three week placement as part of her ordination training.  Whatever the job, she got stuck in cheerfully with the teams.

 

At the end of March we wished Ben well as he left to get full-time employment.  We were also very sad to say good-bye to Elizabeth, who has seen us through the last few years as Operations Manager.  So much of her job was dominated by Covid and the huge paperwork and adjustments needed to enable us to carry on and offer a service through this difficult time.  She was also ready to help wherever needed, at a sale or even in the boat!

       

April saw another staff leaving as Jen moved on to assist her husband in his work taking exotic animals into schools.  (Were we good training for this?!)  Here she is doing a final “Thought for the Day”.  

     

 

 

 

2022 January - February

The New Year has seen us busy in all departments.

 

The kitchen and craft teams were replenishing their stocks after the December sales.  They are seen here chopping oranges for marmalade, and making and stuffing cat toys.  They also made another freezer bag for a special order

        

Before packaging the preserves, a packaging group tests, tastes and records for quality control.  The tasting part of this is very popular!

       

Outdoors, some DIY jobs got done:  here the garage doors are getting some care and attention. 

                

 They also cleared and burned fallen branches.  The storms in February brought down two trees and a large branch, so there will be a lot more clearing to do.      

        

 

2021 - December

Our Christmas sale in early December was a huge success – so a big thank-you to all our customers for your support!  We will have much to do in January to replenish our stock. 

The bags were finished for the Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes – displayed here by Tuesday team members. 

Other bags were made from knitted squares.  Both were packed into shoeboxes in the St Neots warehouse – Gill was one of their helpers.

     

Everyone had time to finish their wreaths to take home for Christmas.  And on Thursday some of the leftovers were made into a wreath for the Stables front door. 

        

 

 

2021 - November

Our newest trustee, Sue, visited for a Thursday morning, getting to know the teams and re-honing her plant care and craft skills which she practised many moons ago as a staff member here. 

Meanwhile we have started busy production of Christmas gifts, and have also made a lot of bags for the charity “Operation Christmas child”.  These go in the shoeboxes which will be sent off shortly.

Outdoors Tuesday teams have gathered material and are constructing their Christmas wreaths – each one will be a little different, but they are fun to make.

           

 

 

2021 - August - September

When the Riseley Scout Group lent us their marquee in summer 2020 to help us get going safely after lockdown, none of us imagined that it would be a whole year before we were able to manage without it!  But once the spacing restrictions were lifted in August we dismantled and returned it – with hearty thanks to the Scouts! 

   

Fruit picking continued throughout August and September, firstly with the different varieties of plum, and then with the apple harvest.  The orchard trees all had their summer pruning too.