Ashwater Village Shop
Photographs:
1 of 2
2 of 2
Ashwater Community Shop opened on 26th November 2010.
On 28th February 2011 the shop committee was able to announce the return of the Post Office to Ashwater. Housed in the shop, a full partnership service became available and to mark the occasion a formal opening ceremony was conducted on 31st March 2011.
The press were in attendance to photograph the event including the ribbon cutting by Cllr Barry Parsons. A representative of 'Leader 4' presented a plaque which is now on display inside the shop.
Leader 4 have provided grant funding to assist the shop in providing a full time paid manager and Devon County Council have given financial support to help reintroduce the Post Office.
The shop committee worked long and hard to secure funding and raise resources from the Big Lottery Fund (Awards for All scheme), The Plunkett Foundation and the residents of Ashwater Parish, friends and family. Money has also been borrowed from Co-operative and Community Finance, which with the amount provided by Leader 4 and DCC meant both shop and PO are under the same roof.
The aim is to ensure sufficient return on sales to become fully self-funding within 12 months of opening the shop. A difficult task but one that both the shop manager and the committee are tackling with relish.
Information from http://ashwaterparish.giving.officelive.com/AshwaterVillagePostOffice.aspx