Introduction
In the Spring of 2020 we began the biggest challenge ever to our village shop. This challenge has continued until the present day, mirroring the extraordinary pandemic that has swept around the
world, the country and our own community. Looking back a year to our last AGM where for the first time our reports were online, we have moved forward and we hope that we are leaving behind
permanently the dark days of restrictions.
The challenges and changes
Our community shop and Post Office, has successfully risen to every challenge presented with extraordinary resilience, flexibility and determination. This achievement has been led by Julia and
Maureen, quite exceptional managers thinking through how to respond to each and every change introduced by the government, together with a loyal and devoted band of outstanding volunteers.
Let’s just briefly think back to what changes have occurred in our shop solely due to the Coronavirus epidemic ……
both shop and Post Office closing at lunch time so that deliveries to the community and cleaning could take place; the temporary suspension of all volunteers over 70 until vaccinations began,
followed by their reintroduction, then younger volunteers were stood down and later reintroduced; 2 metre social distancing; separate queuing for shop and Post Office counters; a protective
screen for the counter ; PPE for all staff and customers; the removal of all chairs and tables both inside and outside; a cleaning regime for surfaces and handles; more recently keeping the shop
as well ventilated as possible; the introduction of contactless payment that has now become the norm.
These procedures we had no choice in implementing and at times the way forward was not always too clear. It has meant a backlog of annual leave for our managers, untaken until very
recently, as they put in extra hours and kept the show on the road. Because of the care and decision making of Julia, Judeth and Maureen our worst fear…. that the Coronavirus infection would somehow be introduced into the shop by customers or even staff, to this date, has not occurred.
I think this is a huge achievement and we have a debt of gratitude to all our managers and volunteers.
Progress and benefits
The pandemic brought a major increase in turnover for the shop as many people here and in neighbouring villages chose to shop locally, partly perhaps to avoid the risks of going into town to
a large supermarket, but also realising that our community shop has much to offer and in spite of all the restrictions has been a place where you might meet friends and neighbours you would not
otherwise have the chance to see.
In April 2020 we also benefited from a £10,000 government grant distributed via Test Valley B.C., given to many community organisations.
In our last financial year ending in December The Shop Association made a profit of over £17000, a quite exceptional figure. You will no doubt recall that the previous year 2019 we had made a
profit of £9025, itself a major increase from earlier years.
Our resulting extraordinary bank balance, while something we had never dared to dream of in the past, focused the committee’s minds on how best to use the money for the benefit of the shop
and also minimise the likely tax bill on our profits which would ensue at the end of the year.
You will have noticed that much of our equipment in the shop has now been replaced.
Now compared with a year ago, we have new more efficient low energy fridges and freezers installed, a stunning new floor both in the shop and the back rooms, the whole shop redecorated
by volunteers and staff, together with new office storage and a desk in the back room.