Tea & Togetherness with the Travelling Tea Ladies

Aim

Tea & Togetherness with the Travelling Tea Ladies Mobile Tearoom - Bringing homemade cakes, bakes & warm smiles to our local neighbourhoods

We’re Chris & Rachel —two lifelong friends in our golden years, currently working for the National Trust, and café dreamers. For years we’ve imagined a cosy community hub where neighbours gather for a cuppa, a chat, and a slice of something sweet. When traditional funding told us we were “too old” to launch a bricks-and-mortar café, we pivoted. Now, we’re crowdfunding to transform a shiny Airstream trailer (and support van) into a travelling tea room—an accessible, mobile haven that brings people together, one brew at a time.

Chris has over 40 years’ experience in the food industry, she started her career in food nutrition after leaving university before moving on to product development kitchen for large manufacturers and suppliers to the large supermarkets. She is the co-owner of Derbyshire fine foods which specialises in dry rubs and sauces for the catering industry and has been successfully run for over 15 years but she is looking for more fulfilment in her working life.

Rachel has nearly 20 years in business management for a global food manufacturer, with earlier experience in a variety of roles from a care assistant to IT support—and has had a long time passion for creating flavoured gins, vodkas, whiskies, and cordials.

Together we make a dynamic duo with a big ideas and together, we plan on bringing homemade cakes, local bakes, and warm smiles to our neighbourhoods, markets, events, fairs, and doorstep.

We aim to have the airstream kitted out to provide, hot and cold drinks, ice creams, cakes, bakes and one pot meals as our standard offering. We will also be catering for events, small weddings and hen do`s, adult and children's parties and small corporate  events with an exciting menu of afternoon teas both traditional and our modern afternoon tea with an exciting menu of things like sconewhiches , Japanese soba breads, homemade possets and modern takes on old fashioned favourite puddings and tartlets.

Why We Need You:

Target: £45,000 in 6 months. That sum covers: • Purchasing and retrofitting an Airstream trailer (£24,000) • Van for support, storage, and pop-up days (£12,000) • Coffee and tea equipment, bakeware, initial stock (£6,000) • Branding, signage, licensing, and marketing (£3,000)

With your support, we’ll be serving in local villages, at community fairs, school fetes, public and private events and even doing doorstep deliveries for those who can’t make it out. It keeps our rural heartlands connected—and it keeps two dreamers doing what they love.

Your Impact

• Revives local community spirit—your village fête gets a dedicated tea stall. • Supports local suppliers—all of our ingredients and readymade wares will come from truly local suppliers and home bakers, all of our fruit, dairy, and eggs will come from local farms. • Offers gentle employment opportunities—future assistants and servers, interns, and volunteers able to get hands-on experience. • Delivers joy and companionship—especially for isolated neighbours.

Timeline:

• Month 1–2: Trailer and van secured; begin conversion. 

• Month 3–4: Equipment install, licensing, menu testing, branding. 

• Month 5: Soft-launch pop-ups

• Month 6: Grand Opening Tour—join the party!

How You Can Help

• Pledge at your ideal level—every bit brings us closer.
• Share this campaign on Facebook, Instagram, and neighbourhood WhatsApp groups.
• Invite your friends, family, and co-workers to join our tea-loving community.

 Together, we’ll brew more than tea or coffee—we’ll brew connections, memories, and smiles. Let’s make “Tea & Togetherness” with the Travelling Tea Ladies the heart of our local villages.

Thanks, Chris & Rachel

This project successfully funded on 2nd October 2025