Community book launch draws 150 to Twyford—ice cream and rail vouchers handed out
A packed Twyford Community Centre celebrated the launch of A Collection of Memories and Recipes on Saturday, with 150 residents lining up to buy copies and two surprise prize draws awarding a £250 ice cream hamper and a £100 station voucher. Organizers thanked volunteers, local firms and the Hazeley Group for making the event a fundraiser success.
The air over Twyford buzzed with laughter and the scent of freshly baked Victoria sponge on Saturday as 150 residents packed the Community Centre to mark the launch of A Collection of Memories and Recipes, a locally compiled anthology that sold out within three hours of opening.
Mingling among the crowd was Marilyn Seagrave of Stanmore Road, who moments after buying her copy learned she had won Jude’s Ice Cream’s ‘Golden Ticket’—a £250 hamper of seasonal flavours plus toppings, announced by Amanda Gregory on behalf of the Hazeley Group, which had provided £3,000 of printing sponsorship. A second surprise came minutes later when Geoff Settatree of Park Avenue was named winner of a ‘Silver Ticket’, a £100 voucher for Platform One at Shawford Station, donated by the station’s community hub.
Key Points
- ✅ 150 attendees at Saturday’s launch in Twyford Community Centre
- ⚡ Jude’s Ice Cream donated £250 hamper won by Marilyn Seagrave
- 💡 Platform One Shawford voucher worth £100 taken by Geoff Settatree
Volunteers led by Mary Timms, centre manager, had baked dozens of cakes using recipes from the book, while Wesley Gibbons supplied free Fairtrade coffee and Jane Bronk added biscuit platters that disappeared within minutes. Mint Signs of Chandler’s Ford printed 300 hardback copies in under three weeks, opting for recycled stock after the Hazeley Group’s grant covered 70% of production costs.
| Contributor | Role | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Hazeley Group | Printing grant | £3,000 |
| Jude’s Ice Cream | Golden Ticket | £250 hamper |
| Platform One | Silver Ticket | £100 voucher |
The anthology, compiled over nine months by a team of 12 local residents, contains 120 recipes and 60 short memoirs tied to Twyford’s 180-year history, from wartime ration cakes to 1980s school fêtes. Proceeds, expected to exceed £2,100, will fund new kitchen equipment for the centre and a summer reading scheme for children.
📋 Behind the Pages
- 300 copies — First print run sold out on launch day
- 12 contributors — All Twyford residents aged 24 to 82
- 9 months — Compilation period including oral history interviews
Attendees queued for signed copies by editor Priya Desai, who told the crowd the book had become a ‘time capsule’ of shared experiences. ‘We didn’t set out to break sales records,’ she said, ‘but knowing these stories and recipes will now be passed down makes every late night worthwhile.’
💡 Pro Tip
For local history projects, start with a small core team, schedule weekly 90-minute sessions, and line up one major sponsor early to cover half the print costs—this combination kept this launch under budget and on schedule.
By 4 p.m., the last cake crumb had been swept up and the final copy sold, leaving only the echo of chatter about next year’s sequel, already mooted by several visitors. Organizers confirmed they will meet next week to decide whether to produce an expanded second edition.
- Next steps — Volunteer meeting scheduled for May 16 to review feedback and financial report
- Feedback — 94% of buyers requested a sequel within 48 hours of purchase
- Timeline — Decision on reprint expected by June 30