Lottery cash for village shop (From Ledbury Reporter)

Alfrick and Lulsley community shop gets lottery cash

10:39am Friday 6th April 2012 in News By Robert Hale

A COMMUNITY project to open a shop in a village near Malvern has received a £15,000 boost from lottery funds.

Alfrick and Lulsley Community Shop will use the cash to set up a community-owned shop that will be used as a village store, meeting place, café and post office.

The money comes from the first round of the Big Lottery Fund’s Village SOS scheme, which aims to inspire a rural revival across the UK.

Chris Liddell, secretary of the group, said: “When our village shop closed in July 2011, we lost one of the few focal points remaining in the village.

“Our pub had already closed down more than a decade earlier.

“After surveying local people about what was needed to bring the community back to life, a decision was made to set up a co-operative and create a shop complete with café and post office. We set up a shop committee and with help from the Plunkett Foundation, set up a registered company and organised a community share sale.

“We offered £10 shares to the villagers and raised £19,000 towards creating the shop.

“This Village SOS funding, together with the support of 50 volunteers from the area, will help us complete our project within the next few months.”

John Taylor of the Big Lottery Fund said: “I am delighted to announce funding to Alfrick and Lulsley Community Shop, a project that is set to recreate a heart within this rural community.

“I would urge other groups across the region to explore this unique opportunity to get funding.”