AN ancient village meeting place is reuniting a rural Herefordshire community.

Since before Norman times, St Peter’s at Peterchurch has been a focal point for the Golden Valley.

Now the church is also home to the St Peter’s Centre and The Hub, a community development project that boasts a library in the bell tower, a Good Neighbour scheme, events, and, from last week, The Hub Café.

The new eatery and gathering place is a warm and beautiful space with comfy sofas, chairs and tables arranged under a chandelier strung with lights.

A stained glass window is the backdrop to the counter, where home-made cakes are lined up and coffee from Herefordshire’s Method roastery and teas are served.

A team of 20 volunteers, headed by Sue Gibbs, makes sure the café is supplied with paninis and homemade soup and keeps it running from Tuesday to Friday.

Community co-ordinator for The Hub, Sara Coleridge, said the café is part of a revisioning for the St Peter’s Centre, a “warm and welcoming” space that also hosts a programme of regular activities including a Food Assembly and Peterchurch Community Choir on a Monday evening, a yoga class on Tuesday evening, the Little Fishes parent, baby and toddler group on Thursday mornings, craft making on Thursday evenings and the library, a fully functioning branch of Hereford Libraries, on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

“Churches were designed for meetings and this is how we gather now. The coffee shop is a place where people come and hang out,” said Sara.

Volunteer, Andy Evans, has been involved with the centre’s reimagining. “We wanted it to have a permanent buzz. We went to look at other community projects for ideas like Dorstone’s Front Room and the community shop in Yarpole church. They really inspired us to have a coffee shop. There are going to be a number of different elements and the café is the first.”

Funding came from several sources including the Big Lottery Fund and Herefordshire Council which obtained cash from central government as part of a health and wellbeing initiative. The Hub is a pilot project under the scheme.

Sara said The Hub now identifies “champions”, members of the community who are bringing different skills, passions and interests to the centre.

She said projects in the pipeline include expanding the library and locating the children’s section in the nave together with a display with information about the historic building and the history and heritage of the Golden Valley with guides and directions to places of interest for visitors.

Hub Connect will build on the Good Neighbour scheme to offer support to local residents with a team of home visitors, volunteers offering local transport and a connect point for chatting next to the library.

However the revised new centre has roots stretching back thousands of years when gatherings first took place on the banks of the river Dore. Its new logo is a yew tree, inspired by the 2,000 year-old tree outside in the churchyard.

For more information visit stpeterscentre.org or phone 01981 550372.