Granville Health System Auxiliary to Hold First Annual Royal Tea Party

The Granville Health System (GHS) Auxiliary has announced that it will hold the First Annual Royal Tea Party on Saturday, May 2 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. at the Granville County Shrine Club in Oxford. Live music will be provided and “tea attire,” including hats and gloves, is welcome.

Advance reservations are required for the afternoon tea, which will feature a four-course menu including delicious tea donated by Harney and Sons Fine Teas, several kinds of savories (tea sandwiches), four types of fresh scones served with lemon curd and preserves, petit fours, pear sparkler, and mixed berries.

To enliven the afternoon, a hat contest will be held, with prizes awarded at the end of the event for the most beautiful, most creative and most unusual hats. A silent auction featuring jewelry, floral arrangements, tea pots and other items will also be held during the event and all proceeds will benefit the Granville Health System Foundation.

The GHS Auxiliary has enlisted the services of Constance Lue—better known as the “Southern Tea Lady”—for the event. Lue, a resident of Oxford, studied under tea expert Jane Pettigrew from England, who wrote 14 books on teas, is a worldwide tea consultant, and teacher and speaker for the World Tea Expo. Lue is a Charter member of the American Tea Society and founder of the Virginia Beach Tea Society and the Old North State Tea Society. She currently teaches a course at Vance-Granville Community College, entitled “Let’s Have a Tea Party,” and conducts tea events at the Washington Duke Inn and Mordecai House.

“This is a wonderful mother-daughter event and perfect Mother’s Day gift,” said Annie Nesbitt, Volunteer Services Coordinator for Granville Health System and event manager for the Granville Health System Auxiliary. “We’ve found that many men have discovered that this is an excellent gift for the women in their lives for any occasion,” continued Nesbitt.

Tickets for the event are $35 per person. Corporate tables are available as reserved tables of 8 for $270. To register for the Royal Tea, or for more information, please call 919.690.2148 or 919.690.3446. Additional information and online registration is available at granvillemedical.com.

During the tea party, Mrs. Lue will explain napkin etiquette, tea service etiquette, and tea courses. She will also interject interesting historical facts such as the verbal battles between Lady Nancy Astor and Winston Churchill.

The Granville Health System Foundation is a non-profit 501 (c) 3 organization and all contributions are tax-deductible to the extent permitted by law.