Bay walk icon brews up brand new era

The Queen's Guide to the Sands has officially opened a new coffee shop in the former home of the town's newspaper.
Cedric Robinson MBE, Queen's Guide to the Sands of Morecambe Bay, and Stuart Clayton, chief executive of Galloway's Society for the Blind, at the opening of the Brew Me Sunshine coffee shop at the former Visitor building.Cedric Robinson MBE, Queen's Guide to the Sands of Morecambe Bay, and Stuart Clayton, chief executive of Galloway's Society for the Blind, at the opening of the Brew Me Sunshine coffee shop at the former Visitor building.
Cedric Robinson MBE, Queen's Guide to the Sands of Morecambe Bay, and Stuart Clayton, chief executive of Galloway's Society for the Blind, at the opening of the Brew Me Sunshine coffee shop at the former Visitor building.

Cedric Robinson MBE cut the ribbon on Brew Me Sunshine, the new cafe run by Galloway’s Society for the Blind in the space formerly home to The Visitor’s reception area.

Cedric, 83, who guides people across the Morecambe Bay sands on cross bay walks, was very impressed by the new social enterprise cafe.

“It’s wonderful,” he said.

From left to right:  Anna Eddowes-Scott (Community Fundraiser), Jenny Maxfield (Administrator), Suzanne (Brew Me Sunshine Supervisor), Beth Norwood (Brew Me Sunshine Manager), Ashleigh & Megan (Brew Me Sunshine Staff), Stuart Clayton (CEO of Galloways), Amanda Needham & Nia Coleman (Vision Services Coordinators)From left to right:  Anna Eddowes-Scott (Community Fundraiser), Jenny Maxfield (Administrator), Suzanne (Brew Me Sunshine Supervisor), Beth Norwood (Brew Me Sunshine Manager), Ashleigh & Megan (Brew Me Sunshine Staff), Stuart Clayton (CEO of Galloways), Amanda Needham & Nia Coleman (Vision Services Coordinators)
From left to right: Anna Eddowes-Scott (Community Fundraiser), Jenny Maxfield (Administrator), Suzanne (Brew Me Sunshine Supervisor), Beth Norwood (Brew Me Sunshine Manager), Ashleigh & Megan (Brew Me Sunshine Staff), Stuart Clayton (CEO of Galloways), Amanda Needham & Nia Coleman (Vision Services Coordinators)
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“We first came when Galloway’s purchased the building and I could hardly believe it when we came today. It’s absolutely marvellous.

“I’ve been involved with Galloway’s for over 20 years and have done two walks a year to raise funds for the charity. They seem to raise vast amounts of money and I’m always pleased to help.

“This is marvellous and should do really well because there are lots of shops nearby. It should have a great future.”

Anna Scott, community fundraiser for Galloway’s, said the cafe had been busy since the opening last Wednesday.

From left to right:  Anna Eddowes-Scott (Community Fundraiser), Jenny Maxfield (Administrator), Suzanne (Brew Me Sunshine Supervisor), Beth Norwood (Brew Me Sunshine Manager), Ashleigh & Megan (Brew Me Sunshine Staff), Stuart Clayton (CEO of Galloways), Amanda Needham & Nia Coleman (Vision Services Coordinators)From left to right:  Anna Eddowes-Scott (Community Fundraiser), Jenny Maxfield (Administrator), Suzanne (Brew Me Sunshine Supervisor), Beth Norwood (Brew Me Sunshine Manager), Ashleigh & Megan (Brew Me Sunshine Staff), Stuart Clayton (CEO of Galloways), Amanda Needham & Nia Coleman (Vision Services Coordinators)
From left to right: Anna Eddowes-Scott (Community Fundraiser), Jenny Maxfield (Administrator), Suzanne (Brew Me Sunshine Supervisor), Beth Norwood (Brew Me Sunshine Manager), Ashleigh & Megan (Brew Me Sunshine Staff), Stuart Clayton (CEO of Galloways), Amanda Needham & Nia Coleman (Vision Services Coordinators)
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“We always had someone in on Friday and Saturday and today (Monday) has been really nice as we’ve had people that called in last week and have returned due to the high level of service and products they received.”

Meanwhile Galloway’s have revealed that they have sold their building on Balmoral Road, which used to be the area’s meeting place, to Church by the Bay.

The cafe, part of a £1.2m renovation of our former office into a centre of excellence for blind people, includes a large message in Braille spelling out ‘Welcome to Galloway’s. The coffee shop also has eye charts on the tables (similar to an optician’s eye chart) and each table has chairs of different colours and styles.

There is a mock kitchen demonstrating different gadgets blind and partially sighted people might use in the house, for example, when turning on the cooker or pouring a hot drink.

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The large windows at the front of the coffee shop are designed to make the place light and airy, especially for those with poor eyesight.

The first event at the new building, an online skills workshop for blind people, was due to take place today.

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