INTEREST is stirring in a much-needed facility which celebrates the past and present of a Meon Valley community.
Droxford residents will get a late Christmas present on January 6 as Wilfrid’s Café and Heritage Centre will open.
The facility is part of a £300,000 bid by the Friends of Droxford Church to repair, improve and extend St Mary and All Saints. An annexe has been added with the church now boasting a new kitchen, community room, toilets and meeting room.
Funding has come from a range of sources from villagers and benefactors to Winchester City Council, the South Downs National Park Authority and the Heritage Lottery Fund.
The café will be run by locally trained volunteers while any profit will be ploughed back into community groups and initiatives.
It will also boast local and fresh produce, homemade cakes and a “proper coffee machine” said spokeswoman, Margaret Wallace.
“Some of us are even having barista training,” said Margaret, who has called the development “very exciting”.
She added: “We are lucky in Droxford because we’ve got an excellent village hall but we haven’t got a café, but this will also be a heritage centre.”
The café will operate as a separate entity to the church and will initially open from 1pm to 4pm every Monday, Thursday and Friday.
The hub will also include a heritage exhibition, where visitors can learn more about the history of Droxford, and information on health, social services, police and NWA schemes.
The café is named at St Wilfrid, who founded the churches along the Meon Valley in the seventh century.