Support The Shop
There are many ways in which you can help your community shop thrive, prosper and continue to be a focal point of village life. The most important support you can give us is to simply Use The Shop. Purchasing just a few goods every week is the most important thing you can do. It will help the shop survive. Everyone has busy lives and we are realistic to understand that most working families will probably purchase their main weekly/monthly shopping at a large supermarket. However, please try and make a point of visiting the store on a regular basis to purchase your top up your groceries, wines, beers and specialty products.
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There are three other ways in which you can really help the shop:
Buy A Share
Since we opened the village shop in November 2010, we have offered our supporters the option of purchasing shares in the community business.
The benefits of being a shareholder are:
a) Investing in our community and the sustainability of our community shop
b) Keep up to date with shop news via email (if you wish)
c) Ability to shape and vote on the future of the community shop
d) Voting rights at our Annual General Meeting.
Each share costs £20 and they are limited to one share per person. Households can have more than one share (one per person) and you don’t need to live in the village to buy a share and show your support!
To purchase a share:
1) Dowload the Application Form by clicking on the icon at the bottom of this column
2) Complete the form (one form per person)
3) Return it to the shop marked for the attention of Liz Morgan or via email - info@marchingtonshop.co.uk
4) Pay the £20 fee by enclosing a cheque payable to Marchington Community Shop or a single payment by BACs to Marchington Shop, account number 65680902, sort code 08-92-99 (please use your name and ‘SH’ as a reference).
5) We will confirm the purchase of your share.
The shop operates under the Industrial and Provident Society Acts. Shareholders liability is limited but your share cannot either be sold or redeemed.
Volunteer Your Services
We’re so proud of our village community shop. It started in early 2010 when a small group of villagers were determined to keep a shop open in the village, after the post office had closed. They called a village meeting in March and were amazed at the number who came and the passion to keep the shop in the village, so the shop reopened in November that year, supported by financial contributions from over 200 shareholders. It plays a key role in the community of Marchington and Marchington Woodlands by providing a local convenience store for villagers and visitors to buy essentials, cards, wine, tickets for local events and fresh local produce.
9 years on, we’re open 7 days a week and it’s all run by volunteers and a part-time shop manager. Our volunteers say they get many benefits from working in the shop and now we have additional opportunities for more volunteers – would you like to join the team?
We are also looking for new Board Members. Especially if you have experience of running a small business. Meetings are every 6 weeks or so, and you would be part of the team overseeing the way the shop works, steering the shop’s strategy and ensuring it’s in a good position to go well into the future
What our volunteers say about the benefits of working in the shop…
- Meeting lots of people and making new friends
- Learning new skills
- Building confidence
- Getting a feeling of helping the success of the shop
- Sense of purpose and belonging in the community
- Ability to catch up on the village news!
- Sense of camaraderie
Interested?
If you would like to volunteer, why don’t you come in for a taster shift? No commitment. If you’d like to continue, we’ll train you up, you’ll be buddied up with one of our managers or a fellow volunteer. You’ll always be working with someone and you’ll be fully supported every time you come in.
With regard to time commitments, we’re completely flexible about how often our volunteers work in the shop. Many volunteers work in the shop two hours a week, others support a couple of times a month and some of our volunteers cover the occasional shifts to suit their lifestyle.
To organise a taster session, pop in or call the shop on (01283) 821248 or speak to one of our volunteers.
Join Our 50 - 50 Club
The shop has a ‘50/50’ Club for people who wish to support the shop, and to have an opportunity of winning cash prizes throughout the year. Contributions are made via a Standing Order of £5, on a monthly basis.(the standing order form can be downloaded at the bottom of this text) A draw, is made once a quarter, when half of the proceeds will be awarded as cash prizes.
The Standing Order Instruction should be completed and sent to your bank. Please also let one of us know, in person that you are joining the Club, or by email to info@marchingtonshop.co.uk
This scheme is registered as an ESBC Small Society Lottery, number SL0306.
