New shop opens after community effort

Forty-three volunteers have helped with the transformation

A community shop has opened after residents rallied together to raise funds.

The last shop and Post Office in Christow, in the Teign Valley, in Devon, closed in May 2023.

Since then, locals have raised almost £50,000 through donations, grants and community shares and transformed a wooden-cladded shipping container into a new shop.

Forty-three volunteers have helped with the transformation including plumbers, electricians, carpenters and IT specialists.

Judy Jones said she wanted the shop to be "used and loved"

Committee chair Jude Jones said: "This has been a rollercoaster, but such a worthwhile one.

"Everyone says you don't know how much work is involved and they're right.

"Everyone is chipping in with all the talents, things that would have driven me mad, you suddenly realise someone has done it."

Mrs Jones said: "My hope is that it's used and loved and continues to make a profit so that we can pay that back into the community."

Dan Rockett recently moved to the village and said he loved its ethos

The shop stocks the basics like baked beans and soups as well as locally made produce including cider and fudge.

Manager Dan Rockett, who left a supermarket branch manager job to take on the position, said: "I'm really excited and really nervous. I just want to make it a hub for people in the village.

"The community wants the shop, they have been amazing in supporting this project and helping to get it off the ground and doing as much of the work as they can."

Organisers said they hoped to open from 07:45-18:00 from Mondays to Fridays, 08:00-16:00 on Saturdays, and 09:30-12:30 on Sundays.

However, they added they still needed more volunteers to cover the opening hours.