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October Newsletter
New Manager appointed:
Sandra Payne has been appointed as the new Village Shop Manager. She joins us from Compulight in Moreton-in-Marsh where she has worked for many years. Many of you will have already met her working alongside the team of volunteers in your Village Shop. She is enjoying the transition from light bulbs to food, and is as much a chocaholic as the rest of us! In her spare time she enjoys walking & cycling. She has two daughters living in Cardiff & Southampton; both of them keep in touch with friends in the Village.
Good-bye
We have said a sad good-bye to Martin who has been so helpful to everyone while stuck for the last days of his tenure in his post office cubicle and wish him every success in his days ahead helping around the village. If you need assistance with dog walking or tasks around the house call 831253. Debbie has moved on to work in Herrings shoe shop in Stow and is relishing this new challenge.
What’s New
The first phase of the refreshment programme has been undertaken with a new till now installed and many new lines stocked. New products include: Curry cooking sauce, Sweet & sour sauce, Kettle Crisps, Pesto, Parmesan cheese, Muller Little Stars. As well as these most old favourites are still available such as ham, eggs, bread and organic milk. When the Post Office space is freed up we hope to improve what we are already doing, for example, getting a chiller for vegetables as well as further expanding our range. This will include, before Christmas, opening a wine and spirits department. A cash back facility is now available and debit & credit cards are accepted. Customers are encouraged to use these rather than keeping accounts or paying by cheque.
The volunteer system is working well although at present some members of the committee are filling gaps that new volunteers could helpfully fill. We have virtually no leeway for absences due to health or holidays and so badly need another dozen or so helpers. Those working in the shop find that it is both satisfying and enjoyable being part of THE TEAM. Please contact Marion Brewer (830518) if you can help in any way, even just an hour in the 7am – 8am slot would be helpful.
FUNDS
Financially things are coming together but some of the grants for which we are applying are dependant on ‘match’ funding. This means that the community must raise £x amount and then will be given a matching sum as a grant. For anyone who has intended to give a donation over and above membership of the Association but still not got around to it the message is ‘it is not too late’! Fund raising events will be held through the winter and one or two are in the pipe line but if anyone has any ideas and would like to organise an event please contact ?????. Your shop needs all the help possible from the community.
The money is required for complete refurbishment in the New Year. The ground floor will be opened up providing retail space for a huge range of products, as many as possible from local suppliers, that will endeavour to remove the need for some of your petrol guzzling shopping trips. The much-too-steep stairs will be removed and access to the old sitting room will give us space for a coffee shop. This is a very exciting time for the village and we hope everyone will share in these hopes and ambitions.
In order to make decisions about the range of stock we should carry there will be customer research groups meeting to discover the most popular lines in all quarters but in the meantime please put ideas to be considered in the suggestions box.
New Shop Opening Hours
The new opening hours are as follows:
Monday – Friday 7.30am – 6.00pm
Saturday – 8.00am – 1.00pm
Sunday – 8.00am – 11.0am
As you can see the shop is now open through lunchtime & also on Wednesday afternoons.
YOUR SHOP FOR YOUR FUTURE
MESSAGE FROM MARTIN AND DEBBIE
Thank you everybody who has shown such kindness and appreciation to us. We have been touched by the individual gifts and cheques we have received and also by the very generous amount collected by the Village Shop Association from so many wonderful people. We are sad to come to the end of an era but look forward to enjoying the changes ahead.
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