Supporting Children’s Hospice South West at 3.00 – 3.30 pm, Sunday 26 August

Last minute hitches can happen with the best laid plans, as members of the North Devon Mini Register found out when the unseasonably heavy rain meant the their Grand Tour cream tea reception - planned for Chapelton, near Umberleigh - was unfortunately cancelled. However, at the eleventh hour the South West Woodburning Centre stepped in to save the day. They offered to host the event at their Winkleigh site with parking for up to 300 minis, and cream teas for 600 hungry crews!

The event marks the end of the second of the three-day sponsored Grand Tour, organised by the North Devon Mini Register. As the website address says, these Minis and their owners have ‘small cars, big hearts’, as the Tour is an annual charity fund raiser, with this year’s proceeds going to the Children’s Hospice South West. The Sunday tea will raise money for the Hospice as one of their ‘Big Cream Tea’ events.

Rebecca Dayment, Showroom Manager for the South West Woodburning Centre said:

“ I only heard yesterday that the North Devon Mini Register had lost their cream tea venue at short notice and were looking for a replacement. 

As a Devon company, we like to support local charities and, and thanks to help from our neighbour here at Winkleigh, we have enough parking for the whole rally!  As we sell cookers and stoves, cooking 600 scones was no problem, and so I offered South West Woodburning Centre as the Big Cream Tea venue.”

“ Some quick phone calls rustled up some promises of help and support and I’d like to say a big thank you for donations from ACR Heatproducts, the Kingsley Dairy, D&S Supplies, Stadley Cookers and Saber Fires who have all chipped in to give their support in various ways to the cream tea event. 

Unfortunately we will not be open to the public on Sunday, as the South West Woodburning Centre will become a big tea-room for the afternoon. But we are looking forward to welcoming the Minis, seeing them in their full splendour and raising as much money as possible for the Children’s Hospice South West!”

For a Big South West Cream Tea information pack, e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it . This will give you all the information you need including a scone recipe, ideas on how to raise money for Children’s Hospice South West, an order form to receive your complimentary cream, kindly donated by RODDA'S, but be quick, supplies are limited!!

For further information please contact Rebecca Dayment, South West Woodburning Centre Manager, South West Woodburning Centre, The Airfield, Torrington Road, Winkleigh, EX19 8HR (01837) 83333.