INSPIRATIONAL HERBAL TEA KITCHEN

THE INSPIRATIONAL HERBAL TEA KITCHEN

at your Service!

Editorial How did Sammi and Loy come up with the idea to have a Herbal Tea Shop in Luton? And then.. on top of it, to call it the Inspirational Herbal Tea Shop.

Sammi and Loy were listening to the church bells on Sunday morning in March. Sammi said “Do you know, they used to have a gospel cafe in Reading, where the congregation would go after church and have a chat”.

Loy’s entrepreneurial ears became alert. “Really?

What a fantastic idea!” she said. “Wouldn’t be great to have something like that in Luton?”

“Yes”, said Sammi. “After lockdown, people have been so depressed not having anywhere to go or people to talk to, it would be nice to have a place where they can sit down, and have a chat over a cup of tea.”

“Why don’t we set something up in Luton” said Loy. It went from a vague idea, to something really specific.

From the location (the market), to the product (herbal teas) to how we both had inspirational personalities, that would bring everything together.

“Let’s go and have a look in the market, to see if they have any stalls” said Sammi, and the rest is history.

I never thought of myself ever owning a shop, and

Sammi didn’t either, but Sammi loves planting herbs and vegetables, so the ‘kitchen’ compliments his passion. Loy likes anything that has a motivational effect on people.

Loy is semi-retired, and Sammi is retired, so it seemed the perfect opportunity to make the best use of our resources, being time, money and skills, and manifest the idea.

Within two months, in fact on 14 May, the Inspirational Tea Kitchen opened up at Unit 79, inside the Luton Indoor Market, which has the tagline, “Your Kitchen Away from Home”.

Instagram: herbalteakitchen

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HE WHO WELCOMES ONE OF MY CHILDREN...

It was a Friday. I was sitting in ‘the kitchen’ when the man in the photograph came to the door.

Woolley hat, dirty nails, not too shabbily dressed, but not the clientele I was expecting. “I’m homeless” he said.

My first thought was I hope we are not going to attract homeless people. I felt he came to test the slogan on the shop. Would I be able to inspire him?

“I will give you a tea, this time, but please do not make it a habit”, I said in a maternal, but somewhat authoritative tone.

“I am an American, in Luton. I am homeless now, but I will pay you back”, he reassured me.

I wondered why my immediate reaction was to think he was going to take advantage? His reassurance left me feeling guilty.

“You don’t have to pay for it”, I bargained, “but would you mind taking a photo in front of my shop?” He smiled, and said “Sure, as long as you don’t shop me to the police!”

I realised that I was able to transform an initial unsettling situation into a win-win situation. He gets a cup of tea, and I get my first advert for free! A change of perception changed the outcome.

He accommodated my request, and left rejoicing with his hot cup of ginger herbal tea, shouting “I’ll be back – I’ll pay you back”, and I was left feeling charitable.

I remembered the Bible verse that says, “he who welcomes one of my children, welcomes me...”

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We all do it – we worry about things that haven’t happened yet, and we catastrophise.

The only time we have is now and what is happening now, is what you have control over. If your ‘now’ is OK, then it is very likely your tomorrow will be OK too, because you have the opportunity to mitigate against whatever is worrying you today.

Sometimes, we don’t think there is a way out, because we are too busy worrying, which means our minds are not able to find solutions. A mind that is able to find solutions is a mind that is clear and focussed.

“Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?

You may respond, “So what about all the people

around the world who are starving?”

Many of those who are starving were betrayed. They trusted a system, and did not make provisions for themselves.

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EVERYTHING IN LIFE, Starts with a seed!

SEEDS GERMINATE ...

THE SEED OF AN IDEA..

SEED OF LIFE IS SPERM...

SEEDS OF FRUITS...

SEEDS OF FLOWERS...

Sit back and watch them grow!

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rhubarb plant

Our rhubarb plant will make delicious rhubarb tea, when it has fully matured. Rhubarb is rich in antioxidants. These antiodixants have anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties, which help protect you from many health-related issues, such has heart disease, cancer and diabetes. Order your rhubarb juice when you are next in the shop.

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BISSY (KOALA NUT) Jamaican Bissy tea is widely

regarded for its medicinal properties, because of its effect as an antidote for poisons. It may also relieve menstrual cramps, headache, gout, rheumatism, jaundice, nausea, vomiting and indigestion. He may also aid int he control of diabetes and weight.

NUTMEG (as shown) has the ability to relieve pain, soothe

indigestion, strengthen cognitive function and detoxify the body, reduce insomnia, increase immune system functions and prevent leukemia and improve blood circulation.

PIMENTO is loaded with vitamins A & C, powerful antioxidants that promote a healthy immune systema and which may help strengthen your skin, teeth and blood vessels. Pimento also contain a good amount of B6 and folate (vitamin B9)

SAGE THYME GARLIC MINT

SAMMI’S VEGETABLE HERB GARDEN

HEALTHY HERBS

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Mama Used to Say - Shinehead Lover’s rock era was built on individual experiences, and a creative black British culture. We, as black Brits kept a low profile during the day, and at night, however, in the ‘privacy’ of the

dance floor, we would unleash our personalities, our desires and our burdened spirit.

My mother asked me, ‘Myrna, why you like draw attention to yourself?’ It wasn’t deliberate, but if non-conformity was what attracted attention, then I was guilty.

I was taught to be a ‘yes’ person, growing up. My mother used to say: “The meek shall inherit the earth”; “it is better to serve than to be served.”

Growing up in my mother’s home, my mother gave the impression that white people were the superior race. However, as I matured, I realised that she was tactical, and knew instinctively, how to navigate safely in a white world.

I will always remember how my mum kept a special set of Royal Albert and Wedgewood bone china cups and saucers in a glass cabinet, which were reserved for special occasions, especially at Christmas or Bank Holidays.

My mother used to say: “Myrna, Mrs Hollins is coming over with her husband, go and get the special cups and saucers from the cabinet in the front room”. Her white guests would get the best of everything. My mother had to prove that she was ‘just as good’ as they were, but in her efforts to impress, it caused resentment. How dare a nigger have expensive china... a nice home... a nice husband?

Mrs Hollins had not seen, let alone used Wedgewood china.

Mrs Hollins used to go to the pub with her husband and my stepfather. They were as ‘common as muck’ cursing in a cockney accent which made my mother twitch in discomfort, but they were white, which made them special.

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During one of these occasions, when my mother was treating her white friends like royalty, Mrs Hollins very obviously started flirting with my stepfather, and then went on to having an affair with him – I guess it was her way of saying “You might have a nice home, and nice china, but I can have your husband if I want him”. After that incident, my mother never had get togethers’ at Christmas or Bank Holidays again.

My mother’s visitors were fascinated by the ornaments my mother had, especially the fish - what did it symbolise. White people have always been curious about the way we live; what makes us tick; our hair, our culture, and our lifestyles – it could be anything. Being friends with a white person came with a price tag, which was not always monetary, as my mother found out.

LOVERS’ ROCK - MORE THAN A DANCE FLOOR (PART 2) PAPERBACK AVAILABLE FROM THE AUTHOR £10 Kindle (eBook) availabe from Amazon.

(Part 1 - below)

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