Welcome to the new Bledington Community Shop!

After 10 years of hard work and a multitude of fundraising events, Bledington will open its new Community Shop and Cafe on 16 November. 

It’s a project that GRCC was proud to work with in the initial stages and has followed it along its fundraising journey and finally to it’s opening.

Creating the shop has been a genuine community effort with over 300 villagers involved in a variety of different ways. 80% of the funding has been raised locally and it’s shown the commitment to the shop by local residents.

A local architect has designed the building to fit with the local environment. It was constructed by a local builder and fitted out by a volunteer team of craftsmen in the village. The shop will be run by a Shop Manager, supported by a team of volunteers, and will be open seven days a week. The café will have a host of options available from teas and coffees to homemade cakes and treats.

It’s certainly well worth the visit and will be opened by Prue Leith MBE on the 16th November in what will be a fantastic occasion to celebrate the effort that has gone into making this happen.

Bledington Shop will now join, as shop no.14, to the network of community shops in Gloucestershire:

Stroud District:

-         Chalford

-         Coaley

-         Horsley

-         North Nibley

-         Ruscombe & Whitehill

-         Uley

 

Forest of Dean District

-         Brockweir & Hewelsfield

-         Bromsberrow

 

Cotswold District

-         Blockley

-         Coln St Aldwyns

-         Down Ampney

-         Longborough

-         Southrop

It shows a thriving network of community action in support of community shops.