playing at cafe's

First day volunteering in a National Trust tearoom.  My daughter has been working there for the last year, following her cousin, who did a few months, for her Duke of Edinburgh’s award.  All good experience to put on cvs, and references.  So why did I volunteer? 

·     A bit of support for my daughter. .  I give her lifts to and from when she goes, and she always goes, not wanting to go, but always coming  away saying she has enjoyed it.  Another reason for me to give it a try! She doesn’t mind me ‘muscling in’ on her, either.

·     A change of job…meeting and working with other people, in a new place, keeping the grey matter working, and seeing a teashop from ‘the other side’. 

·     I know a lot about teashops, I have been in many!  They and the shop are the final highlight of a trip out.  I love watching people, both workers and customers, listening in to conversations.  I’m a nosy parker!

So off we went, a little late (sleepy daughter plus learner drivers in front of us).  Ran/puffed up the steep hill from the car park.  The tea room was full already.  Introductions were made.  An apron was eventually found.  No volunteer’s badge though.  A guided tour of the gardens, with a warning that I may be sent up there to pick lettuce.  It’s quite a way away.

Then back to observe daughter  and a lovely lady, another volunteer at work.  There is another volunteer manning the dishwasher, a very friendly and helpful man.  There are also paid staff, working in the kitchen and the manager of the tearoom.   

The tea rooms are tiny.  Not as big as our living room, which isn’t big… 5 or 6 tables, and pew like seats.  William Morris table oilcloths, (he never came here, but was commissioned to decorate the place).  High windows, flagstone floor.  A beautiful sunny day had brought out the crowds, to see the house and splendid gardens.  The extra buzz is that the house features on a programme tonight, and has done in several television programmes recently. 

Observation was short, I soon got on with brewing cups of tea and coffee..  Huge scones, chocolate cake (very generous slices), fruit cake and Victoria sponge.  I resisted them all…Slimming World rules!

The till is very Arkwrights.  Very last century, and delivers  a hefty clout to the stomach when it opens…words of warning were issued about ‘not messing up the till.  Daughter and I managed to make one cream tea add up to £108.00.  Called for help! 

Took my first order.  Wrote it down very carefully, and off to prepare the tray.  The prep area is a long narrow corridor, and it’s all very cosy!  Various fridges, for drinks, cream and milk and butter.  The cooks work in another room, as does the dish-washer.  Clean pots appear at the door to be shelved, trays of dirty pots are stacked at the side.  It’s all about logistics.   

All tips have to go in the pot above the till…and are used to pay for a Christmas party for the volunteers.  Fair enough!  There were many tips, though, people are generous. 

Lunchtime gets complicated.  Sandwiches are various combinations, and are made up on order.  People ask for special exceptions, sometimes this doesn’t go down too well.  E.g. can I have the tuna mayo without the mayo?  No it comes with mayo, hence the name.  Can I have some mayo for my salad.  No…we’ve run out. I think I understand, but it does seem a bit topsy-turvy. 

Health and safety rules about eating outside also seem rather draconian.  Mutterings about stolen crockery seem to be more likely the reason for it being frowned upon. 

Customers were delightful.  Two cheeky little boys whose eyes nearly popped out of their heads when they saw the chocolate cake; two demure little girls who asked for two forks to share the Victoria sponge.  An elderly gentleman, who is a regular, but who thought this may be his last visit – he lives locally, but finds the steep hill hard to climb back to his home. There were tears in his eyes and he seemed very sad.  Me too.  I hope he does come again.

Small dramas, the overflow below the hot water tap - overflowed!  The orange juice ran out. 

The time flew.  The next shift of volunteers arrived.  Aprons were discarded.  Home, and some lunch of our own!  See you in a month!