Cambridge Museum Needs Your (Teacup!) Help

After having a nosey browse on a local business directory last week, I noticed that one of Cambridge's most treasured museums actually hosted a Vintage Tea Room and I had never noticed it before... I immediately slapped my own wrists and got in touch with the museum to have a chat with them about a plea they were making for Teacups to make this tea room sparkle just a little more than it already was. 

Cambridge & County Folk Museum hosts a volunteer run vintage tea room, which they have been heavily manning over the summer holidays alongside a pop up pocket money shop for the kids to enjoy spending their well-earned pennies. They plan to turn it into THE place to be in Cambridge for fantastic home made cake and tea served in dainty china cups and teapots on a more regular basis over the coming months. It's wonderful and I want to let you all know about this little gem!

The tea room is situated in the beautiful courtyard to the left as you walk through their huge gates which is a lovely Cambridge sun trap on a hot sunny day... and on a rainy day, it's the perfect place to relax and enjoy the array of pictures, books and unique decor including a gramophone with interesting info on it to educate you between mouthfuls of Victoria Sponge or Buttery Flapjack. 

What made me want to visit Susan and her lovely team of cake-loving volunteers was the fact that are looking for donations of teacups and saucers to add to the tearoom collection. At first I thought this was just a cry for anything that they could use to pour tea into, but I was wrong... They are looking for donations of interesting and pretty cups and saucers and a matching plate if possible, hopefully with a story alongside it. 

By a story alongside it, they want to know where it came from, who used it before you donated it, how you came to own it, etc. 
Basically a story that can go alongside the teacup to amuse the tea drinker that uses it on their visit. 

I think this is a superb idea, and I for one would love to sip on a cup of Earl Grey and read a cute story of somebody's grandma using it to bake cupcakes in her aga with it back in 1901.... Or something along those lines ; ) 

And what we had discussed was that if somebody did indeed own a teacup and saucer that was important to them, they most likely wouldn't want to give it up.... So even if you find a pretty teacup, saucer and side plate in a charity shop or at a car boot sale... bring it down to Susan and her team at the Folk Museum and MAKE UP a story... Who would know? hehe. We won't tell anyone ; ) 

So, if you are feeling kind and charitable, please take some china down to this lovely museum and be part of this fantastic little tea room and their brilliant teacup project in our very own City.


This is why I love Cambridge... It's such a lovely place to live.  

Miss Sue Flay 

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