On Saturday, 28th September our very own Sandra Hall, Received a High Sheriffs Award for everything she has done within the church and Magdalenes Cafe. The Minster is in huge debt to her and her hard work and dedication.
Valarie Gaskell wrote the following about Sandra
“Sandra Hall, our wonderful Coffee Shop Manager: but where to start? To many, she is everything the Minster stands for: the Christian ethos, the welcome, the ambience and, of course, the hospitality. But like everything, there was a beginning – way back in 2011.
In Sandra’s professional life, she was the Restaurant Manager at Musgrove Park Hospital, back in the days when there was an in-house Restaurant, Coffee Shop and other hospitality outlets. There was even a separate dining room for Consultants! Gosh, how things have changed.
Sandra retired from her position at MPH in 2010 and in 2011, took her first tentative steps as a Coffee Shop volunteer in what was a much smaller space and a very different enterprise. In 2012, Sandra undertook to be the Manager for 12 months, just to see how things went along. But here we are, in 2024, and under Sandra’s management, we have a brand new Coffee Shop, a large professional kitchen, a full breakfast, lunch and “specials” menu and a volunteer workforce that many a business would envy. Sandra has enabled all of this, working 5 days a week, virtually every week of the year, all as a volunteer.
What we see Sandra do, day in, day out, is only just the tip of the iceberg. She handles all the paperwork – and there is much of it, does all the buying of food, equipment etc, promotes the Coffee Shop to all who step into the Minster, undertakes commercial bookings and arranges the teas for our afternoon concerts and other large events.
And all of this working as a volunteer. We cannot underestimate Sandra’s commitment to the Coffee Shop and Taunton Minster. One of her biggest accolades was the winning of Taunton’s “Coffee Shop of the Year” award by the Gazette newspaper, beating the likes of Miles Tea House!
Oh, did I forget to say, that she also leads a Sunday Welcome Team, is a Sidesperson and sits on the PCC and Mission Committee.
Taunton Minster would be a very different place without Sandra and we, and the local community, owe her a great debt of gratitude for her on-going commitment. “Thank you” Sandra, for your hard work, commitment and your generosity of time and friendship.”
Everyone in the Minster is proud of the hard work and dedication Sandra has for the Coffee shop and the Minster, We are all elated that she has won such a deserving award.
