A popular refreshment stop on the coastal route at East Haven is to be maintained by a community group after the retirement of organiser Morag Tindal.
Morag used the innovative refreshment stall to raise more than £3,000 for the Mary’s Meals charity.
After years of providing snacks and drinks for weary walkers and cyclists on the National Cycle route at her home village, Morag has retired to spend more time with her family.
Since 2014, she has provided a much-needed energy boost to travellers while collecting donations for Mary’s Meals, which provides a daily school meal to more than 1.25 million children in some of the world’s poorest communities.
Morag insists support from the community has helped turn the refreshment stall into a great success and was delighted to hear local group East Haven Together has pledged to carry on her work for Mary’s Meals.
Morag said: “It has been a terrific four years, it’s amazing to see how quickly it grew and how popular the stall became.
“My children used to fundraise for Mary’s Meals when they were at school, so we wanted to keep supporting the work of the charity.
“If I ever went on holiday someone from the village always looked after the stall for me. I’m so pleased it will continue.”
In 2015, East Haven Together and residents from the local area came together to build a stone cairn for the stall which featured an integrated steel donation tin to help secure the donations for Mary’s Meals.
Wendy Murray, Lead Trustee with East Haven Together, has worked closely with Morag and praised her incredible commitment to the school feeding charity.
She said: “Morag has provided daily refreshments for visitors on the National Cycle route almost single-handedly over the last four years.
“Not only has she raised thousands of pounds in donations but she has raised awareness about the important work carried out by the charity.
“East Haven Together will continue to support the work of Mary’s Meals during 2018.
“Another resident, John Keen, has taken the lead role in managing the venture, which we know is much valued by walkers and cyclists.”
Morven Macgillivray, fundraising officer at Mary’s Meals, added: “Everyone at Mary’s Meals would like to thank Morag and wish her a very happy retirement.
“Her love and dedication has brought together so many people, while helping to provide a nutritious daily school meal to children in some of the world’s poorest communities.
“We are delighted to hear the East Haven community has decided to continue to support Mary’s Meals through the refreshment stall.”
