South East Region European Social Fund Awards 2007

Bradfield Southend Village Stores

The South East Region European Social Fund Award for a Global Grant project with a Rural Slant was given to Bradfield Southend Village Stores on 11^th September 2007 for its achievement to set up and sustain the local post office and shop, after being helped with an Enterprise Fast Track Global Grant of £2,000 by Berkshire Community Foundation. Thanks to the enthusiasm and commitment of the local people, many difficulties have been overcome and the prospects of progress concerning the local facility now seem viable.  

When the post office and shop closed in November 2004, a group of 15 local people, who established themselves as an Industrial and Provident Society, got together to see if there was any possibility to open the facility in another location. The loss of the post office and store would have serious impact on local residents who were less able to travel outside the area, such as the elderly, those with disabilities and mothers with small children. It would also affect employment and amenities in the village. After gaining planning consent, the group arranged for a portakabin to be placed in the car park of the village hall. After considerable efforts to purchase the portakabin by selling shares of £10 each to local residents in order to raise funds, the shop was launched on 15^th July 2005, followed by the post office nine days later, with encouragement of the Parish Council, the Hall Committee and the local councillor.

The ESF Grant of £2,000 awarded by Berkshire Community Foundation covered some start-up costs including training, insurance and equipment. It helped acquire an electronic till and telephone equipment, promotional material, advice and consultancy for business start-up and training for staff and volunteers in using the till, stock control and account systems. Former employees of the previous shop and twelve volunteers were particularly keen to participate in this effort.

The number of local customers who have difficulty in travelling outside the area has been increasing steadily. These include a pensioner with Parkinson’s disease, who can now get to the shop on his mobility vehicle and does not need to rely on others, a woman suffering from epilepsy, who now has the chance to shop independently and young people with learning disabilities, who now feel safe shopping in an unthreatening environment with familiar people.  Therefore the post office and shop in Bradfield Southend not only provides prospects of employment but is also a substantial facility for local people. The Stores now employ eight paid people, five of whom live in the village and eight volunteers, who have received training from the Village Retail Shop Association Development Worker.   

There have been some difficulties during the initial running of the shop, which included the inexperience of the management committee and the lack of a shop manager and created a lot of pressure on four members of the committee. These problems have now been overcome due to the appointment of a shop manager. Also, due to strong competitiveness in the retail industry, accounts of the shop profits indicated a trading loss in the first year. However, profits have gone up and in 2006 Bradfield Southend Village Stores was the winner of the Best Existing Social Enterprise in Berkshire, presented by Social Enterprise Berkshire. With the nearest facilities being miles away and local people feeling more independent and able to shop in a friendly, familiar environment within their local area, the Bradfield Southend Village Stores is serving an important cause and there is a long term aim of moving in larger, permanent premises.