THE committee which runs a village shop is appealing to residents for help as it ‘struggles’ to keep the valued facility open.

Clatfords Village Store is a community facility which reopened in September 2021 following a freezer fire earlier that year. It is run by a committee made up entirely of volunteers who, while skilled and dedicated, are small in number and are facing increased workload.

READ MORE: Clatfords Village Store reopens after freezer fire

Following the reluctant resignations of the treasurer and operational lead, the committee has struggled in its recruitment drives and now has two possible options: continue to seek new members, or hand the shop back over to private ownership.

In a letter to residents, seen by the Advertiser, the committee described the shop as “at the heart of the villages” and added that, financially, it is on a “strong footing” with revenues at 20 to 30 per cent above the previous year.

The team continued: “We face a dilemma. A stronger, more sustainable shop, but a depleted team, desperately in need of more support to be able to run it.

“Without the correct structure, support, and leadership, all of the work of the community, staff, volunteers and committee members past and present over the years is in danger of being eroded and the shop will not be sustainable either commercially or as a community hub. As a management team, we believe now is the time to act, while we are in a strong position to determine our future.”

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The committee is inviting all Clatfords residents to join them for a Q&A session on the options, to be held on Wednesday, March 30 at 7.30pm at Goodworth Clatford Village Hall.

This will be an opportunity for residents to air queries and share their views on the shop’s future, and allow the team to put together a plan for moving forwards.

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