This week sees the start of the Cheriton Fitzpaine Community Shop Shares Launch. The idea for a Community Shop in the village began in 2016 after the village shop and post office closed just before Christmas.

Throughout 2017 a small group of people including Sustainable Crediton members Charles and Paula Mossman have been working tirelessly to make the vision of a community shop a reality, so that the area once again has a shop of its own. Plans are now getting to a very exciting stage. A Community Benefit Society has been set up and a lease for a piece of land for the shop, with planning permission recently granted, has been agreed in the centre of the village next to the Methodist Chapel. Four funding applications have recently gone out to various organisations seeking money to construct a wooden shop, kit it out and stock it. And now the Community are being asked if they would like to become part owners of the shop too by buying one or more shares in the project. Each share costs just £20 and anyone 16 or over can become a share holder and play a part in creating a successful shop for the area.

Paula Mossman, Vice Chair of the Shop Management Committee that are overseeing the project said, 'A Community Shop is different to a normal convenience shop. It is owned and run by the community and its aim is to meet the needs of that community by stocking the things the community asks for and being open convenient hours for those who live there. It can also be an important social hub too. Our shop will have a part time manager but will be mostly staffed by volunteers. Our aim is to cover costs and to put any modest profit the shop might make back into the community. Sandford has had a very successful Community Stores and Post Office run along these lines for many years, so we are confident that Cheriton Fitzpaine can do it too.

Charles Mossman who has created the booklet that explains about the shares commented, 'We want people who live in Cheriton Fitzpaine and the surrounding area to really feel part of this project. By buying one or more Shares in the shop they will be showing outside funders that the community is right behind the project. They will also be able to vote at the shop's AGM for how the shop is run and become involved in the Committee and the way the shop runs too if they choose to. We want this to be a shop that is run by the community for the community so everyone who is 16 or over can become part of the project. Shares would make great Christmas presents too!

Margaret Squires, the local District Councillor is also supporting the project by funding the printing of the Share Booklet and also the training of some of the volunteers to create a website for the project. In a letter of support  she said "Having lost the shop in the village in December 2016, I have seen the coming together of the community with the aim of providing a Community Shop for the village. I believe it is essential in this remote area. I have witnessed two community shops in my area coming in to being. Both Sandford and Kennerleigh have gone through the process and now have successful community shops, and I am sure that Cheriton Fitzpaine can do the same.''

Over the next couple of weeks volunteers will be calling at hundreds of  homes in the area handing out copies of the Community Shop Share booklet featured in the picture. The booklet explains how to purchase shares and answers many of the questions people are likely to ask. Then on Sat Nov 11th everyone will have a chance to question the Shop Management Committee at the monthly village market in Cheriton Fitzpaine Parish Hall from 10am to 12 noon. There will be a table where members of the Committee will be present to answer questions. Later that afternoon from 2pm to 4pm there will also be a short rolling presentation in the Hall about the Community Shares where questions can also be answered. Everyone is encouraged to come along to find out more.

If you would like to know more details of the Share Offer they are on the shop's new website at  http://www.cheritonfitzpaineshop.co.uk/share-launch/