What we've been up to...

As we work through the weeks of Peach C-19, we wanted to keep our teams updated with all the goings on. Each week an update has been going out to our team to share all the good stuff our team have been up to, whether Isolated, Furloughed or Still Working. Keeping everyone together, even if virtually!

Pub Hubs

MD and Founder, Hamish Stoddart, set off on a mission to find a way of keeping the pub at the heart of the community. Your Hubs, is a not-for-profit social enterprise, raising money through the sale of takeaway, shop essentials, food and drink. The Hubs raise much needed money to feed frontline workers and those most in need. A great initiative, not only for the charities and NHS but for the teams, they are loving helping! Find out more at www.yourhub.pub

The Pub Hubs have turned some of the pubs into local shops and food to go emporiums. The first was The Boathouse, followed by The Embankment and The High Field and The One Elm. From Asparagus Brunch Boxes, to Wine & Cheese and Cocktail Rum Kits. We’ve also had homemade lemon drizzle, millionaire shortbread and brownie bites too! We’re now proud to see our volunteers helping raise money at The Richard Onslow and The Chequers too and this week sees The Thatch join too. Head Chef, James Durrant, has volunteered to serve his usual top-notch food for the folk of Thame. There’ll be Sunday Roast Boxes to start, and Beef Wellington before long, we hope.

Charity Work

It’s not just the hubs that are doing great things locally. We’ve also had great work going on in two other pubs, driven and steered by David and Trevor, funded by Aubrey Allen and delivered by The Star and Garter and The Fishes. The Chef teams led by Stefan and James respectively are cooking up to 1000 meals a week. The Star and Garter have been supporting Helping Hands Charity in Leamington and The Fishes for The John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford.

We had an amazing thank you email from one of their doctors; “I’ve just finished a 5 hour operation in full PPE and knew the hospital food options would be dire. I’ve just found and eaten one of your lasagnes and it has made me smile as I prep for the next Covid case. Thank you. Your thoughts and food make a difference.” Well done all, awesome work and a massive thank you to both pub teams for supporting.

Team News

With thanks for the power of social media, and the digital era we all live in, we’ve also been able to share lots of other good news too. Terri, GM from Brookmans, passed her level 3 WSET and Bex, Frazer, Janet, Linds and Sharon have been volunteering as NHS Responders.

David, Partner and Poddy, has been mostly talking wine and also chitchatting (about wine), along with Trevor Blake who too appeared in the ChitChat podcasts.

Frazer’s resident quiz night is not one to miss. Educating the nation (but mostly Thame), on all things food and drink. He is live on The Thatch Facebook page for his Posh Pub Quiz every Wednesday at 7pm. With over 120 people taking part each week, it’s not one to miss. Watch him cook an omelette, see his wife make cocktails better than him – sorry Fraze, and answer questions like, “What’s in my gob?”

Ops Director Staggy, has a house party every Saturday. After a Facebook nightmare (they really are the fun police) you can catch him live on Instagram or Twitch – @ staggoire, playing disco classics and a bit of 90’s house bangers to get your ready for a top night in.

We’ve also seen Dean, our new Head Chef from Brookmans, start a food bank run in his local town. This has been going for three weeks now and is really building, well done Dean – very Peachy! Paige from The Fishes has been busy keeping active, 25 push ups for 25 days in aid of PTSD – go Paige, and Nicolette has been busy making her windows bring a smile to everyone who sees!

There’s lots of weekly Zoom calls too, and some interesting haircuts now going on…