Otford

Grants received to date will appear here  

Rebuild of Otford Village Charity Tea Room​

• supported by: ‘European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development’
• the EAFRD
• LEADER
• West Kent Leader

The project has involved demolishing the old pre-fabricated tea room and replacing it with a new one of traditional structure.  The new tea room will have 12 additional covers (from 40 to 52) and more importantly will not be divided into two sections as at present. This will give us the opportunity to hold more charity events in the evenings such as quizzes, talks, volunteer trainings etc. The tea room has often been at full capacity, with queues forming especially at lunch time, so the new café will enable us to meet the increased demand. In addition the project will include a new kitchen that will meet modern requirements for a catering business as well as providing a better environment for the staff and volunteers. Another important addition will be the provision of disabled toilet facilities and an environment that will be welcoming for all our customers including those with special needs. It is acknowledged by the Parish Council and traders in the village, that the tea room brings a lot of people to Otford – including supporters of the charity, local people, people from surrounding towns and villages, and also from further afield (tourists, people coming from London on the train etc,). The new café will therefore help bring additional employment and custom to the village. 

The grant from West Kent Leader paid for various elements of the project including plumbing and heating, windows and doors, sanitary ware, roof lights, security and fire alarms and flooring.

Other contributions have been made by:

Garfield Weston Foundation

After almost twenty five years in business, our flagship charity shop is still thriving!  From furniture to brand new homeware, bric-a-bric and books, there really is something for everyone. The friendly tearoom at the back of the shop is a favourite destination not only for walkers but also for many in the village who regularly return for the reasonably-priced, hot light meals and tasty cakes and treats.

We are always looking for bright, happy volunteers in our shops and tearooms. With their help we are able to provide beneficiaries with our best services.

Apply to become a volunteer 

Our Tearoom is currently being re-built.

We felt that rather than spending a lot of money on repairs to prolong the life of our well-loved pre-fabricated building, it was far more pragmatic to invest in a building that would last for many years. This will enable us to bring in a greater income that will in turn benefit more terminally ill children and adults in South East Europe who we exist to support.

We have not taken the decision to invest a significant financial sum lightly and we are actively seeking grant funding to cover as much of the costs of the works as possible meaning that our patients do not lose out due to us carrying out these essential works.

If you would like to help us by way of a financial contribution or know anyone that may be willing to, we would love to hear from you. Please speak with our General Manager at the shop or contact the Charity on 01959 525110.

The plans can be found on Sevenoaks District Council Planning Portal, with the following reference number – 19/02267.

The works commenced in July and will hopefully be completed during November.

Our retail shop remains open selling excellent quality clothing, gifts and many other exciting finds.

We also have a wonderful homemade selection of scones and cakes to take away, as well as a variety of coffees, cold drinks and ice creams.

As well as whole cakes, we would recommend our very own selection of freshly prepared items to enjoy in our Hospices of Hope Afternoon Tea box, which can be ordered in advance to collect at £15.00. To arrange, please call 01959 524322.

Thank you for your ongoing support.

Our new takeaway box