Patriotic Postmistress, Sonya Cary, is going all out to mark the King’s Coronation decorating Pontrilas Post Office and community café and helping to organise a tea party and fun activities for all ages.
There are decorations galore at the Post Office and café to mark the historic occasion.
A Coronation tea party is being held on the afternoon of May 6 at the café. Extramarquees will also be put up, so that the event for the whole community can go ahead whatever the weather. Games and activities will also take place in the field.
As well as lots of food there will be lots of activities for all age ranges. There is face painting, best dressed hat competition and staff from the gym, which is linked to the Post Office, have organised games.
In 2021, Sonya was awarded a British Empire Medal in the Queens’ Birthday Honours for services to the local community in Pontrilas and 22 other nearby villages. Last May she attended a Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace just ahead of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations and organised lots of fun events to mark her 70 years’ reign.
Postmistress Sonya Cary said: “A year ago, I was getting things organised for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee and getting ready to attend the Royal Garden Garden party. Who would have though that a year later I would be planning for the King’s Coronation.
“The Queen had been unable to last summer’s garden parties because of her health and pacing herself for the Jubilee celebrations, but I did get to meet Prince William and Kate. What a lovely couple they are. I was really saddened by the death of the Queen, but now it is time to celebrate King Charles III’s Coronation.”
There have been several visits by Prince Charles to the Golden Valley where Pontrilas is based as he has a nearby farm, and he has also visited the SAS training facilities. Prince William has also been to the area.
Initially Sonya set up a Community Interest Company to operate the Post Office and shop to ensure these vital services would remain for the community.
Profits from that were then invested into a community café, twice-weekly lunch club and bingo to help combat loneliness and malnutrition in the elderly in this very rural, farming community.
People come from much further afield in Herefordshire and even across the border in Wales. A Christmas lunch ensures that people do not need to be alone.
After the community café success, another empty warehouse was taken over for a gym to help people to keep fit for the whole community. The Community Interest Company now employs nine local people.
Eleven years ago, Sonya organised a street party for the Golden Jubilee, but now with the buildings and space now owned by the Community Interest Company, they no longer need to block the street.
