Jo pours her heart into new venture (From Cotswold Journal)

Jo pours her heart into new venture

3:37pm Tuesday 19th June 2012 in Business By Mike Pryce

A WORCESTERSHIRE entrepreneur has turned a lifelong passion for fine china into a business opportunity.

Businesswoman and bone china collector Jo Beacham has unveiled More Tea Vicar, a venture which will see the new Bewdley-based firm hiring out rare collections of vintage bone china for special occasions such as anniversaries, weddings and garden parties.

The 250-piece collection, which includes intricate 1940s tiered cake stands and rare tea sets, has been built up by Mrs Beacham since the 1980s and the 41-year-old hopes her idea will capture the imagination of event managers and those organising a special celebration.

Mrs Beacham said: “I have been passionate about collecting unique pieces of fine china since I was a little girl and some of my fondest memories are of my grandmother’s cherished tea sets.

“It’s a passion that has stayed with me and over the years I have managed to handpick a treasure trove of sets and one-off British-made pieces. There are lots of elegant and interesting pieces within my collection. So instead of them hidden away in boxes, I felt I could turn them into a credible business by making all the pieces available for hire.

“I have always been involved in running events and know how hard it can be to find quality suppliers and something a little different.

“More Tea Vicar is a unique service and one I hope will capture the imagination of people who are organising special celebrations, garden parties, weddings and even media or corporate events.”

The service can cater for up to 60 people. Further details are available at vicarschina.co.uk or by calling 01299 403763.