For many years, Hungerford Arcade has been presenting all children who come into the Arcade with ‘treasure’ – an old English coin in a wallet with a card showing what that coin is and what it would be worth in today’s money! We also give Roman coins when we can get them.
A gentleman standing at the counter watched as Arcade owner, Adrian, presented a small boy with treasure and was very moved by the joy on the boy’s face on receiving his gift.
The gentleman then introduced himself to Adrian as Peter Pearce of The Wyvern Historical Metal Detecting Society based in Swindon. He said “I will never forget the joy on that little boy’s face and I would like to help you with the old coins through my club as it is a wonderful thing the Arcade is doing for the children!” True to his word, Pete turned up at the Arcade a couple of weeks later with his wife Sandra and to the great surprise and excitement of Adrian, myself and everyone else, a huge amount of old coins were placed on the counter. Amazingly, there were some from the 1700s and there was even a bag of Roman coins! Pete had contacted all the members of the WHMDS and informed them what Hungerford Arcade does for the children and asked them to donate all the old coins they can for this worthy cause. Pete told Adrian, “I have been amazed at the response from my Club members to donate coins to your great cause. I have the amazing total of over seven hundred coins, yes seven hundred! That’s Pennies, Halfpenny’s, Threepences, Georgian, even Cartwheel penny’s. and yes thirty three Roman coins and a load of odds and ends. Everyone of these coins has been dug out of the ground by myself and the Club members”. This really is old buried treasure! Pete also told us that the Club have said it is also going to do more for the Arcade’s charity events.
Pete also told Adrian that his Club is always looking for permission from farmers to take their metal detectors onto their land. They do everything according to the law so if there are any landowners out there who can help, that would be great!
The other side to this story is below!
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| Adrian with Pete and his wife, Sandra |
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| Sandra, Pete and me |
Quite by chance, the next morning, a couple came into the Arcade. with two babies. When the babies, Paige and Olivia were presented with their coins, the couple introduced themselves as Joy and Andy Fields and said they were down on holiday from Lancashire. They explained that they were foster parents and foster babies from birth and have them for up to two and a half years. Joy and Andy told us that Paige is registered blind due to substance abuse by her mother during the pregnancy! Although she could not see her coin, Paige was very happy and clung onto it! For each baby the Fields foster, they make up a Treasure Box for them. The box will hold all the very first things a baby has like a first pair of socks, first teddy bear, postcard from their first holiday and for Paige and Olivia, a piece of treasure from Hungerford Arcade! No wonder they’re smiling.
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Me holding Paige, Jane Fields with Olivia and Andy Fields
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| Here we are again! |
