A COMMUNITY coffee shop which has raised thousands for charities across Salisbury and beyond has celebrated its 25th anniversary.

Truffles Coffee Shop, in Winterslow, opened its doors in December 1992 as an idea by then Rector Clive Cohen as a place to give people somewhere to go when they are experiencing loneliness.

Two decades on and dozens of volunteers later the cafe is seen as a staple of village life, opening rain and shine for people to enjoy a cup of coffee and a biscuit or a slice of the much-loved lemon drizzle cake.

Treasurer Sandra Cassells said: “It is just a nice place to come and chat to people. For the volunteers it’s not about washing up in the kitchen but talking to people.”

Funds to launch the coffee shop were given by the Winterslow Baptist Church, Methodist Church, and All Saints and St John’s Church.

“In the first year the churches gave us funds for the deposits and running expenses, and within that year we were able to pay back their money,” Sandra added.

Since then the cafe has dedicated itself to a charity and has donated more than £38,000 to organisations throughout Salisbury - many dedicated to visitors of the coffee shop.

“We have got a lot of very generous customers who come in. We have 12 different charities each year and a lot of them are charities that our customers suggest and are supporting.”

On Friday the coffee shop held a special celebration to mark its 25th birthday with a visit from the Winterslow Singers and children from the Winterslow playgroup and primary school.

“We had around 60 people in our room at the village hall, and a number of those were people who have moved out of the village which was a really positive sight,” added Sandra.

Truffles Coffee Shop opens Monday to Friday from 10am to 12pm at Winterslow Village Hall.