Customers at Brent Knoll’s village shop can now benefit from Coronavirus grounding the world’s airlines.
Food items that had been produced for the first class customers on a global airline are now on sale in the Brent Knoll ’emergency shop’ at bargain prices, including boxed savoury wraps and bags of vacuum-packed mature Cheddar cheese portions.
David Sturgess, a member of the shop’s steering group, told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “We have been thrilled by the support we have received from so many suppliers.”
“In addition to having a full range of flour from a Cotswold mill – at a time when the major supermarkets have been struggling to meet demand. We are also getting help from such remote supporters as a world airline.”
“We have also received donations of yoghurts, soups, and cornetto ice-creams to boost our stock, alongside local residents donating vegetable seedlings and cherries,” said Mr Sturgess.
“This is the very essence of a community shop – and a community venture.”
The shop’s team of volunteers have agreed to extend the opening of the “emergency shop” until the end of June, and will review its future at that time in tune with whatever are the Government’s guidelines.
The shop was opened by a group of volunteers in response to the Covid-19 crisis after the closure of both the Post Office and village shop in Brent Knoll.
Meanwhile, the Brent Knoll venture has been accepted for full membership of the Plunkett Foundation – the national charity which has backed more than 300 successful village community shops – while the group has applied to become a Community Benefit Society to open a permanent Community Shop and try to restore the Brent Knoll Post Office.