Village Shops Help Fund

Friday 10th July 2009

UP TO £500 OFFER TO VILLAGE SHOPS TO IMPROVE SERVICE

Setting up a community shop? Need some new equipment to improve your service to customers? Launching a new range of local food products? Want to hang on to your post office service? Introducing a new service in your shop? Trying to get more customers to use your shop? Wish to improve access to your shop?

Then why not apply for a grant from the ‘Villages Shops Help Fund’ through Dorset Community Action?

Dorset Community Action’s Fieldworker Simon Thompson explains ‘I’m in contact with a number of village shops in Dorset who are about to make improvements to their service and need a little help with ‘top up’ funding to ensure that their project gets off the ground. That’s where the Villages Shops Help Fund comes in to provide financial support with the minimum of delay’.

There are only three main conditions involved; the project must aim to improve the shop’s service to local customers; the project can’t have already begun before asking for the money and the shop must be the only remaining food shop or post office in the village.

‘In most cases grants of £500 can be given, with the scheme aiming to help village shop keepers, community groups setting up their own service and even keeping a local post office going’ Simon Thompson added.

Anyone wishing to apply for a Villages Shops Help Fund grant can get information by ringing Simon Thompson on 01305 216412 or by writing to Dorset Community Action, Community House, The Barracks, Bridport Road, Dorchester DT1 IYG. Fax 01305 216420. E.mail simon.thompson@dorsetcommunityaction.org.uk

To download an application form .....clink this link

Note:
The Village Shops Help Fund is administered by Dorset Community
Action and supported by the Dorset County Council and all four
District Councils in the county.