INDEPENDENT shops in Bishop’s Waltham are launching a ‘Totally Locally’ campaign on July 4.

Designed to embrace local and satellite communities, the campaign will focus on a core message – spend locally and regularly in Bishop’s Waltham’s wide variety of independent shops rather than online or in the large chains and supermarkets, and very quickly, this simple, subtle change will start to make a huge difference to the local area and economy.

Emma Bondsfield, of gift shop Luvvit Want it, said: “Of late, there has been a sea change of opinion, with people really wanting to discover what’s available around them and return to traditional core values. With an upsurge in desire nationally to revive the local high street and economy to see it buzzing again, bustling and thriving Bishop’s Waltham is certainly blazing a trail.”

The July 4 Independents’ Day event and Totally Locally launch invites shoppers to show their support for local businesses.

With late opening until 7pm, there will be a market in the High Street, a Pimms stand, live music, free tastings, goodie bags, craft workshops, demonstrations, free parking after 3pm and discounts of 10-15 per cent in some shops.

Totally Locally sets out to change public perception and shopping habits so that people look forward to spending money in their local shops instead of elsewhere. If every adult in Bishop’s Waltham and surrounding villages spent just £5 with their local independent shops and businesses, instead of online or with the big supermarkets, it would be worth an extra £2.5m to the local economy.

Last year’s Independents Day event was organised by Winchester City Council’s Market Towns Development Officer, Heidi Isa. This year Bishop’s Waltham Chamber of Trade has taken on the task of organising the event themselves this year.

Ms Isa said: “I’m really excited that the chamber of trade has taken ownership of this event and is making it bigger, better and more individual to Bishop’s Waltham. The launch of Totally Locally, coordinated by Amanda Redwin of Rethunk Interiors, is the icing on the cake.”