Tarts and Crafts first opened its door to residents and visitors of Balmedie in November 2004 as a community café and craft gallery. It is run as a professional business but entirely staffed by very hard working volunteers. Any small profits that are currently made go back into improving the facilities at the café for the community's benefit. We also support the community by making donations to suitable community projects.
Balmedie is a rapidly growing village, but as more houses were being built, no supporting community amenities were available. The four founders (all local women) saw the need for a friendly warm meeting point in the village, accessible to all, where people young and old could meet for a bite and a chat. There are books, games and changing facilities for younger children and breast-feeding is welcomed. There is disabled parking, and room in the café and the toilet for wheelchairs. There is a smooth path up from The Co-operative supermarket.
We serve freshly-ground Fair-Trade coffee, a wide assortment of teas, Fair-Trade hot chocolate and lots of cold drinks that are sugar free or organic. Hungry? Choose from home-baked cakes, toasties and snacks and home-made seasonal soup with freshly made organic rolls and cheese scones. All food is made on the premises by our fantastic volunteers using Fair-Trade sugar and cocoa and organic flours and we endeavour to make soups with seasonal British ingredients.
We also wanted to create an outlet for local crafts people and artists producing high quality work. There is a lot of talent in this area and not many craft venues at which to see and buy it. We have a hung exhibition on the walls which changes every month and permanently show the work of over sixty talented Scottish artists and crafts people, most of whom are local. There is always new stock coming in and the exhibition changes all the time. It is the perfect place to browse for a very special present.
We run a variety of craft classes on a regular basis and you can also suggest a craft you may be interested in so that we can do our best to fit one in, in the near future. There is also a meditation night every fortnight on a Friday.
We compost, re-use, recycle or burn almost all our waste to try to minimise our ecological foot-print, and we're continually receiving donations of useful things and old wood to burn on the wood burning stove which saves it filling up the local landfill. If you have any waste wood please bring it along, as we get through a lot in the winter months.
If you would like to get involved in any way please drop us an email info@tartsandcrafts.co.uk. There are many different jobs: clearing tables and making soups; making and distributing posters; making and erecting signs; building things; arranging stock and hanging exhibitions. The list is endless, and all help is welcomed!
