The Wallops Village Shop Association has been presented with a cheque for £3,000 by Hampshire County Council's Executive Member for Economic Development, Councillor Michael Woodhall.  The Association was formed to ensure that Over Wallop residents have continued access to a village shop and post office, at a time when many rural communities face the closure of such facilities.  The cash will go towards the cost of new fixtures and fittings for the shop on Pound Road.

The shop, which opened under its new ownership in August, plays a vital role in the community.  Local people can shop for groceries and newspapers without having to travel to Andover or Salisbury, collect prescriptions prepared at Stockbridge Surgery five miles away, and get information on local events and services.  As well as providing employment opportunities for local people, the shop also boosts the area's economy - between 15 and 20% of the shop's stock comes from producers within a 14 mile radius, including dairy products, meat, fruit, vegetables, bread and fresh flowers.

Councillor Woodhall said: "Village shops provide a crucial service in rural communities, both socially and economically. They also enable people, particularly the elderly or those without a car, easy access to every day necessities.  One of the County Council's Cabinet priorities improving quality of life for older people, and we are committed to supporting initiatives which serve rural areas. I congratulate to the Wallops Village Shop Association for their hard work providing this excellent service."

John Taylor Firth, Chairman of the 170-strong Wallop Village Shop Association, said: "Over the last year the association has raised over £30,000 in order to take over, refurbish and restock the shop. This grant will be most helpful to our project to save the village shop and will be used to purchase a new shop counter, two chiller units and more display shelving."

Village Retail Services Association

Helping villages to keep their Shop and Post Office

The community first contacted ViRSA in March 2003 after which the Parish Council carried out a survey to establish the strength of support for a community shop.  In September that year Trisha Badham, house bound with a broken ankle, realised the enormity of losing ‘the shop’ so called a meeting around her kitchen table from which an active shop group emerged.  Their first task was to extend the survey to cover the inhabitants of Nether Wallop.  The plan outlined to more than 70 people who attended a public meeting on 13th November 2003 was that Julie Cleife should continue to run the Post Office, whilst the villagers set up an IPS (Industrial and Provident Society), take on the lease of the shop, find funds to do the necessary alterations, and employ a manager who with volunteer assistance would run a Community Shop.  Those present at the public meeting were unanimous in their desire to take the project forward to research and establish a community shop for Over Wallop.

Plans progressed through the winter with regular meetings, launch of the IPS, raising of funds locally and application for grant funds from the Parish Council, Test Valley Borough Council and the Countryside Agency.  The applications to both the Parish and Borough Councils were successful but in May 2004 they learnt that no Countryside Agency money would be available.  This was a particular blow having been told they met the criteria and having waited more than six weeks for an answer!  All the plans were then slimmed down and the proposed structural alterations put back to a later date. Progress was made:

• the lease was agreed and signed

• the shop was painted

• a second hand chiller arrived

• a Manageress was appointed

• following the despatch of a horse trailer to the cash and carry, trading started.

• an opening ceremony, with the cutting of ribbon, was held on Saturday 7th August 2004.

Applications for grant aid have been made to both Hampshire County Council and DEFRA

For Over Wallop the successful opening of the shop is just the start.

Set out like this all appears reasonably simple but this account belies the time and work put in by the Shop Association Committee and all the other people who have been actively involved in the Over Wallop Shop.