Shop wins Show award (From This Is Wiltshire)

Shop wins Show award

11:38am Friday 9th June 2006

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DETERMINED volunteers who campaigned to keep their village shop, then took it over themselves are celebrating after winning an award.

Steeple Ashton's village shop was named winner in the community section of the rural business development awards, held at the Royal Bath and West Show.

Committee chairman Ines Crucefix said the money would be used to pay for a special outing as a big thank you to everyone who worked for years to make the project happen and make it a success.

The shop has former Pan's People star Dee Dee Wilde among its volunteers, while ex-United Nations deputy director Declan Walton is the official wine consultant.

Mrs Crucefix said: "It is a pleasure to see people walking about the village again on their way to the shop, which really is acting as a community centre at the heart of the village."

People living in the village were up in arms when the shop closed in 1998 but they decided to do something about it.

In 2005 their campaign ended in success when it was re-opened, with the help of £12,500 in donations from villagers and a grant from the Wiltshire and Swindon Rural Regeneration Partnership.

Now the store, in High Street, has more than 200 village shareholders and is staffed largely by about 50 volunteers.

It is set up as a non-profit making charity.

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