News
Macmillan Coffee Morning 2011
Thank you to everyone who came to our 2011 coffee morning. We had a lovely start with the Best of Exeter holding their bi weekly breakfast in the Centre. We were very busy all through the morning. There was live jazz music by local musicians Charlie Hearnshaw and Maxine Green, a raffle, competitions, home-made cakes, and of course delicious fairtrade tea and coffee.
Together with Harry's Restaurant we raised over £813.00. All of the morning's proceeds went to Macmillan Cancer Support.
We would like to thank the Companies below who have kindly donated raffle prizes and supplies:
Christopher Piper Wines Sands Consultants Phab Hairdressing and Beauty Supplies
Harry's Restaurant Otter Brewery Boots the Chemists
Hartnell Foods Inside Out Contemporary Living The Craft Hub
Thank you for your support!
(For those of you that are curious there were 92 balloons in the car!!)
Macmillan's Biggest Coffee Morning 2011
September 30th, 7.30am - 11am
Join us and Harry's restaurant and be part of Macmillan Cancer Support's World's Biggest Coffee Morning.
Have fun and join others in changing the lives of people affected by cancer. We will be open from 7.30am-11.00am and absolutely everyone is welcome. There will be games to play and prizes to be won, home-made cakes, and of course delicious freshly ground coffee! There will also be some live music.
All of the morning's proceeds will go to Macmillan Cancer Support. We can't wait to welcome you all and spend the morning raising money for a fantastic worthy cause!
For further information please give us a call!
Summer Special
Save 10% and ... free cream tea!
During July & August we are pleased to offer our newsletter subscribers 10% off room hire as well as a cream tea for your delegates. The cream tea consists of home-made scones, local cream and strawberry jam. To take advantage of this offer, please subscribe to our newsletter.
* Terms and Conditions This offer is available to our newsletter subscribers. The offer may not be combined with any other discount. The offer applies to full day (9am-5pm) bookings only. The cream tea does not include drinks. We are able to provide a maximum of twenty cream teas for room only hire, but will provide for more people if your event includes equipment, refreshments or catering, subject to quotation.
Fairtrade biscuit update...
Our friends at Chocoholic Heaven have moved their scrummy business to North Devon. Although we wish them the very best we are sad that they aren't in Exeter anymore and therefore we can't get our lovely freshly baked fairtarde biscuits from them!!
Fairtrade Fortnight
The Harry Hems Centre supports Fairtrade and we are pleased to introduce our switch to fairly traded biscuit twin packs. We have long aimed to buy Fairtrade wherever possible, and now thanks to Chocoholic Heaven - a delicious new shop in Exeter’s Guildhall – we are able to offer a more ethical biscuit to dunk in your fair-trade tea.
This swap is a welcome addition to Fairtrade products we stock already as listed below.
- All everyday, herbal and fruit teas
- Coffee and decaffeinated coffee
- Brown and white sugar
- Hot chocolate
Chamber corporate challenge trophy won by The Harry Hems Centre & Harry’s Restaurant 
Instituted by the Exeter Chamber of Commerce and sponsored by WBW Solicitors, the Chamber Corporate Challenge was introduced this year to recognise the top ten member firms which participated in the World’s Biggest Coffee Morning, Macmillan Cancer Support’s flagship event.
The Challenge trophy was presented by Sara Bond, chairman of the Chamber, and Michael Martin, senior partner of WBW Solicitors, at the Chamber lunch held on 15th December. The winner was The Harry Hems Centre and Harry’s Restaurant (with Sands Chartered Engineers) and Peter Jackson, chartered structural engineer with Sands Consultants received the trophy.
Peter, aged 57, said: ‘The Harry Hems Centre and Harry’s Restaurant raised a magnificent £805 in September – an event of many elements: freshly ground coffee, bacon rolls and cake with live music, and a super raffle. I topped this up with a further £500 raised at a Macmillan coffee morning held soon after at 18,188ft (5.56km) at Kala Pattar overlooking Mount Everest – the culmination of ten days trekking through the mountains of Nepal above 4.5km!’
The other nine top hosts were Devon & Cornwall Police, Ashfords Solicitors, Francis Clark, Charlesworth Nichol, Everys Solicitors, The Midas Group, Service Point (UK) Ltd, Stones Solicitors and Lacey Hickie Caley.
The Harry Hems Centre wishes you a happy Christmas
The staff at The Harry Hems Centre would like to wish you all a very merry Christmas and a fantastic new year.
Macmillan's World's Biggest Coffee Morning 2010
Thank you to all who took part in our 2010 coffee morning. We raised over £1 300 together with Harry's Restaurant and all the companies who donated raffle prizes, listed below.
All of the morning's proceeds went to Macmillan Cancer Support. There was live jazz music by local musicians Charlie Hearnshaw and Maxine Green, a raffle, competitions, home-made cakes, and of course delicious fairtrade tea and coffee.
We also had stalls run by Jamie at Home and Temple Spa who donated prizes and helped create the friendly atmosphere.
We would like to thank the Companies below who have kindly donated raffle prizes and supplies:
Origin coffee roasters Christopher Piper Wines
Sands Consultants Richard Beaumont Salon Temple Spa
Lefroy Beauty Therapy Cornico Coffee Service Point
Jamie at Home Harry's Restaurant Otter Brewery
Hartnell Foods The Body Shop LED Leisure East Devon F Milfords & Sons
Inside Out Contemporary Living
Thank you once again for your support.
The World's Highest Coffee Morning
Peter Jackson, is a Chartered Structural Engineer with Sands Consultants.
‘On Saturday 16th October, I will be holding a coffee morning overlooking Mount Everest in support of Macmillan.
'I will start the trek on 3rd October. I did a similar trek three years ago, and although I vowed “I was never going to do that again”, I am once more trekking through the mountains of Nepal – ten days of which I’ll be above 4.5km!
'This time I am intending to share a cup of coffee with my fellow travellers at 18,188ft (5.56km) at Kala Pattar.
'The coffee cups might be small - they will have been carried for 80km and upwards 3.5km, but one small sip for man, will hopefully produce a giant contribution in sponsorship for Macmillan Cancer Support.’ Macmillan’s local fundraising manager, Calvin Lovelock said:
“We know that having a straight forward coffee morning doesn't appeal to everyone; however Peter and Sam and their colleagues seem to have taken the Coffee Morning concept to new heights!"
To sponsor Peter's Adventure, simply follow the link below, or visit us for The World's Biggest Coffee Morning on 24th September to donate in person.
http://www.justgiving.com/PeterJamesJackson
Meet Macmillan
Sponsored by The Harry Hems Centre, and the launch of the 2010 World’s Biggest Coffee Morning
A special networking reception was held on Thursday 22nd July at The Harry Hems Centre about Macmillan’s new £2 million investment in cancer care in Devon and the Exeter launch of the 2010 World’s Biggest Coffee Morning – the charity’s flagship event set to raise £8 million this year through thousands of events around the UK.
‘Meet Macmillan’ was upbeat and inspirational and a great way to warm up for The World's Biggest Coffee Morning.
Macmillan fundraising officer Calvin Lovelock said,
"The environment, coffee and biscuits were totally conducive to a successful occasion"
We are all looking forward to The World's Biggest Coffee Morning, to be held at The Harry Hems Centre on September 24th.
An Evening with Sarah Outen
The Harry Hems Centre held an exclusive event this spring. Thanks to a fair wind, we managed to secure a talk by Ocean rower, motivational speaker, and holder of three world records, Sarah Outen.
Held on the evening of the 15th of March 2010, it was an excellent opportunity to meet and hear how this amazing lady crossed the Indian Ocean single handed last year.
Thanks to all who attended this fascinating evening, and also to Sarah for sharing her adventures with us.
Sarah Outen is anything but an ancient mariner, but the 24 year old is as good on stage as she is on the water with her oars. In an epic 124 day voyage, after three years planning and one failed attempt, she rowed into the record books as the first woman ever to row solo across the Indian Ocean and the youngest of the eight women to solo row any ocean.
Records aside, there is more to her story than adventure - for the endeavour was inspired by and dedicated to the memory of her late father, who died suddenly while Sarah was still an Oxford student. She has raised £30,000 for arthritis charities through her row, inspired by her father's suffering with the disease.
This fresh young talent is energetic, witty and truly inspiring - she weaves as great a tale as any seafarer of three times her age, and will captivate any audience with ease and take them on a journey of discovery, exploring more than just oceans.
A more traditional Christmas is cheaper
Christmas is always an expensive time of year, and in the current economy many of us are looking for ways to cut down.
The Harry Hems centre, Exeter’s atmospheric conference centre, believes it has found a way to save money whilst going back to traditional ways by using some old fashioned ideas for decorating the room and the tree.
Using oranges studded with cloves and tied with ribbon, to make scented pomanders, is both economical and atmospheric. Once they have dried, they become light enough to hang on the tree. Bowls filled with various nuts such as chestnuts, walnuts and almonds look welcoming, and simple decorations can be added to the old fashioned look.
The first synthetic decorations were glass ornaments, usually imported from Germany. Other homemade decorations included strings of popcorn and paper chains sealed with wax.
“In Victorian times, we were less wasteful and decorations were often homemade.” Said Peter Jackson, Director of the Harry Hems Centre. “And at a time when cash is tight, what could be better than both saving money and having a more traditional Christmas?”
The Harry Hems Centre launched last year as a flexible conference and function centre, central to Exeter, offering a glimpse into the city’s living heritage.
The centre is prestigious and steeped in history - originally commissioned by the famous church sculptor and woodcarver, Harry Hems. It has been beautifully maintained, with original Victorian features, and situated behind Harry’s Restaurant on Longbrook Street, it also offers superb catering and ambiance.
Due to the historical look of the building, a more traditional Christmas look provides a more tasteful backdrop to a range of events.
“The centre is able to offer an entirely flexible event, using training or presentations, and combining them with a Christmas party at Harry’s, or a working lunch to maximise the time.” Said Peter.
Macmillan World's Biggest Coffee Morning!
The Harry Hems Centre together with Harry's Restaurant has raised £611.94 at their World's Biggest Coffee Morning in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support. The 
Centre entertained local businesses and people, including the Deputy Lord Mayor, Councillor Mrs. Ruth Smith, with the live music, magic, a raffle, home baked cakes, and freshly brewed coffee.
On Friday, September 25, over 900 coffee gatherings took place in Devon alone in support of the World’s Biggest Coffee Morning, with the common goal of helping to raise £8.5m for Macmillan Cancer Support.
Macmillan’s local fundraising manager Calvin Lovelock said; "We rely almost entirely on donations, and without all the hard work from our coffee morning hosts and goodwill from those who go along to their events, we wouldn't be able to keep offering the fantastic services that so many people rely on."
The Harry Hems Centre to host Macmillan Cancer Support's World's Biggest Coffee Morning
Friday 25 September 2009
Join us and Harry's restaurant and be part of Macmillan Cancer Support's World's Biggest Coffee Morning. Have fun and join others in changing the lives of people affected by cancer.
We will be open from 7.30am-11.00am and absolutely everyone is welcome. There will be prizes to be won, home-made cakes, and of course delicious freshly ground coffee! Merlin the magician will entertain us all by performing his close up magic and balloon modelling. There will also be some live music. All of the morning's proceeds will go to Macmillan Cancer Support.
We can't wait to welcome you all and spend the morning raising money for a fantastic worthy cause!
Every cup counts
Whether we raise £20 or £1000, the money from our coffee morning will help to make a real difference in people's lives.
£22 will fund a Macmillan family support worker for an hour, to help families who have been affected by a cancer diagnosis and treatment.
£40 will help a cancer support group hold their first meeting.
£156 will run our CancerLine for an hour, providing on average 13 people affected by cancer with essential information, practical and emotional support.
£278 will keep a Macmillan cancer information and support centre stocked for a month with all the information resources, booklets, guides, directories and leaflets it needs to support people affected by cancer.
£544 will help run a typical large Macmillan information and support centre for a working day.
£918 will pay for a Macmillan nurse for a working week, providing expert information, advice and support to improve the lives of people with cancer
Thank you once again for your support. Have a memorable World's Biggest Coffee Morning.
Ben Bradshaw MP & Exeter Chamber of Commerce first to use new city conference centre 
The Harry Hems Centre opened its doors today for its inaugural booking. The meeting was one of three that Exeter Chamber of Commerce organise each year with Ben Bradshaw, providing the opportunity for a small cross section of Chamber businesses to directly question the Minister for the South West. The Centre, with its unusual architectural features and interesting history proved a fantastic setting for the meeting.
Hems Court, in which the Centre is situated, was originally a Workshop commissioned by Harry Hems, a church sculptor and woodcarver, who came to Exeter in 1866 to carry out work on the Royal Albert Memorial Museum.
Built in 1881-82, and enlarged in 1884, Hems Court was designed and erected by the architect Robert Medley Fulford. It served to show off the best of Hems work with stained glass, decorative leadwork and gothic detailing, all in the Hems style. He moved his business into the premises in 1882, the workshop made carved stonework and furniture, stained glass and memorials for churches and town halls all over Britain. There are many examples of his work around Exeter, including the Livery Dole Martyrs memorial in Denmark Road.
When Harry Hems first arrived in Exeter, he found a horseshoe in the road, interpreted this as a good omen and decided to settle in Exeter. He kept the horseshoe and mounted on the front of his workshop which became known as Ye Luckie Horseshoe Studios. You can still see this horseshoe on the front of the building today.
Derek Phillips, Chairman of Exeter Chamber of Commerce said 'This new conference meeting venue provides a unique setting with excellent facility within a City Centre location.'
Photograph: Ben Bradshaw MP and Derek Phillips, Chairman of Exeter Chamber of Commerce pose with a portrait of Harry Hems.
Express and Echo
March 12 2008
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