A taste of tea at Our Place
It was tea time at Our Place on a recent Tuesday afternoon, but with a difference that prompted smiles and sweet satisfaction in equal measure.
A team of staff volunteers from the Empress Hotel showed up to serve a spot of its legendary afernoon tea to 300 of the capital region’s most vulnerable residents at the community centre.
“We’ve always done special events with Our Place, and we thought: ‘Let’s do something different,” said Anita Voorsluys, sales manager for the hotel’s Willow Stream Spa.
Voorsluys and her associates served Empress Blend tea and the hotel’s signature warm raisin scones with house-made clotted cream and strawberry lavender preserve.
After brainstorming with Our Place’s community relations manager Tracy Campbell, a former Fairmont Empress Gold Concierge, she thought it would be fun to bring a version of the luxury hotel’s tea service to Our Place.
“It’s just something different and special,” said Voorsluys. “The Our Place family is prevalent in downtown Victoria, as is the Fairmont Empress, so it was the perfect pairing.”
The Empress staffers and committee members of Planet 21, a program that unites employees, guests and partners to drive sustainable growth, obviously took great pride in serving tea to such an appreciative crowd.
Mikey Barnett and his wife, Anne, said the unexpected taste treat brought back memories of better days.
“We used to eat at the Empress, at the old Charles Dickens Pub and the restaurant upstairs,” said Mikey. “This is a very nice surprise.”
Added Anne: “It gives you an uplift from the way we’re living now.”
It also rekindled memories for Elizabeth Dickie, a senior who said it’s been more than 30 years since she had high tea at the Empress.
“I think this is just fantastic,” she said, noting it was particularly welcome on such a grey, rainy afternoon.
“It’s really a shot in the arm. It’s nice to actually get a taste of what the rich people do.”
When Teresa Tutube described the experience as “sweet!” her declaration had a double meaning.
“The tea is awesome. I really enjoyed it, and the jam and the whipping cream,” she said, adding it was quite filling.
“I ate half of it and gave the rest to my friend sitting across from me.”
One of her tablemates, Trevor Reid, also gave the midday snack a thumbs-up.
“I can’t really afford to go to the Empress, so it was nice to have them come here,” he said.
Two outreach workers — Caitlyn Frame and Kym Kraine — couldn’t resist the invitation to join in.
“We normally don’t get a chance to have tea at the Empress, so we jumped up,” said Frame.
“This is one of the more fun events we’ve had in a while. They’re very excited about it.”
The crowd expressed its appreciation to the Empress team with cheers and applause when tea time was over.
Part of the Planet 21 mission is to work hand-in-hand with the community “because we believe our commitment and our local responsiblity doesn’t end at the hotel door,” said public relations director Tracey Drake.
Upcoming charitable initiatives include supporting the Mustard Seed Christmas Dinner on Dec. 3 at the Bay Street Armoury, where Empress staff volunteers will serve food, including dessert pies donated by the hotel.