COMMUNITY run Mells village shop celebrated its nomination as a regional finalist in the Countryside Alliance Awards at a thank you party recently held at Mells Manor for 50 volunteers and guests.
Chairman David Sheridan expressed his thanks to everyone present, and stressed that without volunteers’ help Mells village shop and café would not be able to thrive as a successful enterprise at the heart of the community.
An example of the contribution made by MVS volunteers came at the weekend of 1st and 2nd December in the form of an initiative by volunteers Janet Seviour, Rosemary Casemore and Ann Ashman. An astonishing £464 towards shop funds was raised by the three ladies who organised a stall and a raffle for the Christmas at Mells Barn shopping event.
As well as helping behind the counter in the shop and serving in the café, residents of Mells and the surrounding villages, ranging in age from 15 to 75, help with gifts and supplies, maintenance and decoration, fund raising, gardening and window dressing.
The Countryside Alli-ance’s Rural Oscars are broad in scope, highly coveted and a great morale boost to those in the running. The overall champions will be announced at the grand final at the Houses of Parliament in early 2013.
