Castle Market canteen
Finding new ways of raising funds for charities requires imagination. In 1975 this need led to the members of Talgarth Council of Churches deciding to provide basic refreshments one Friday morning at the local livestock market. Little did they realise how that idea would develop.
Their efforts that Friday were widely welcomed and the auctioneer gave them a small sum to do it again the following week. From that was born the ‘Cattle Market Canteen’ at Talgarth mart. In the beginning the base was an unused cattle pen and a lot of improvisation was necessary.
In response to its success, the auctioneers provided a small purpose built centre with proper kitchen facilities. Now, every Friday morning it is packed with local farmers who not only appreciate the tea, coffee, sandwiches and cakes, but also have somewhere welcoming to meet each other and talk. Also
available is Farming Help information for anyone who may need it. The cafe is run by a team of about 18 volunteers drawn from all four local churches – Baptist, Church in Wales, Presbyterian and URC – with each volunteer giving one Friday morning a month.
The original idea was to raise some funds for Christian Aid and charitable causes have remained the recipients of all profits. A good year will make
around £3,000 profit and, so far, in excess of £50,000 has been donated to various causes.
So, a simple idea for a single event has grown into an important weekly occasion for the farmers who bring their sheep on Fridays to the market in this little town at the foot of the Black Mountains. It provides an effective Christian presence in and for the community.
Graham Wise Masham sheep fair
On the last weekend in September the large market square in Masham is full of sheep for the annual sheep fair.
In days gone by this was the major sale of breeding stock – sheep bred on the uplands were bought by farmers across the country. Today the sheep fair is more about showing sheep than selling, although some are still sold at the end of the weekend. There are also sheep races and a host of stalls and other amusements at this rural gathering.
The Anglican and Methodist churches use this weekend
for their harvest festivals. Both buildings are colourfully decorated and see many visitors pass through their doors over the weekend. The harvest displays seek to remind people where their food comes from and acknowledge the work of the farmer as well as the provision of God. In the Methodist Chapel refreshments are served all day on Saturday and on Sunday afternoon.
During the weekend on both Saturday and Sunday afternoons, the local school children form a Bishop Blaize procession to commemorate the patron saint of weavers. Masham’s prosperity was
historically built around wool and weaving.
The sheep fair is a real community event and it is good that both churches are at the heart of it. As well as opening both buildings to the public many individuals from both congregations will be seen in different roles helping around the town. A great deal of money is raised each year for charity and it is so good that Christians are very much a part of it.
This year’s fair takes place over the weekend of 29 – 30 September 2007.
Rev Elizabeth Clark Methodist Minister – Thirsk
www.arthurrankcentre.org.uk
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church and economy
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