THE Pewsey Arts and Craft Shop has celebrated its eighth birthday by passing on record takings to a host of local beneficiaries.

The concept of a community-run tea rooms and crafts outlet was originally dreamt up by Mary Ward, who has lived in Pewsey for 40 years and opened the shop after retiring.

"I have four children and my family has benefited a lot from living in Pewsey and I thought this would be a good way of putting something back into the community," she said.

In the eight years since the tea rooms opened, with locally-produced crafts for sale, it has given a total of £13,420 to charities and to other organisations in the area.

Its organisers maintain that the shop remains unique. It is, as far as they are aware, the only business of its kind in the district and possibly in the west of England.

Thanks to a team of committed volunteer helpers, the store is going from strength to strength and making more money year on year.

This year, the community-run business has presented a record sum of £4,450.

Beneficiaries include the Wiltshire Air Ambulance, Pewsey and District Link, the Prospect Hospice, Kennet Carers, the Shak youth centre in Pewsey and KASH, Kennet Action for Single Homeless.

Pewsey Parish Council has also received a donation.

It has been given £450 to put towards refurbishing the equipment in the village's play areas.

Earlier in the year a sum of £300 had been given to the Savernake Hospital appeal for a bladder scanner.

Mrs Ward said that part of the reason for setting up the community-based business was to help Pewsey out of the doldrums it found itself in a decade ago.

"Pewsey was in a real mess in 1990-91; it was shabby and had a lot of empty premises," she said.

Mrs Ward said she was encouraged by the help given by the late Delia Way whose husband, Mike, persuaded the parish council to support the project.

She said that as well as providing refreshments and an outlet for local craftspeople to sell their goods on commission, the shop is also a focal point for the community.

It raises funds which are later distributed to a variety of organisations and provides a useful activity for the volunteers who help to run it.

She said that staff at the Pewsey Arts and Crafts Shop come from all walks of life and range from mothers with young children to one particularly dedicated woman who is in her 80s.

Even the shop's landlord, Mike Mason, helps out by taking a turn behind the counter serving tea and coffee.

And Mrs Ward explained that it is the volunteers who decided how the profits from the business are to be shared out.

Pewsey Arts and Crafts Store always welcomes new volunteers.

Anyone interested in helping can contact Mrs Ward at the shop or at home on (01672) 562344.