Our community shop is a village hub, providing our rural community (6+ miles from the nearest supermarket, and with a very limited bus service) with its only shop. It offers access to a wide range of goods, many of which are from local suppliers. The 590 population includes a significant number of older residents (a growing number with dementia, ill health and/or limited mobility), and around 10% living in social housing, as well as young families. Our volunteers, along with a small paid team as well as the committee, are able to offer home delivery at no cost to those in need. We also give local adults with a learning disability the opportunity to develop their work skills in a supportive environment. The shop is regularly used as a source of information, managing locally lost property, advertising and holding tickets for local events, and signposting both locals and passing holidaymakers.

Were the shop not to exist, our local community would have to travel to Devizes or Pewsey to shop in person. Opportunities for locals to meet on a daily basis, or to volunteer, would also be lost, to the detriment of their mental health and wellbeing.