Village shop wants new volunteers in second decade

Marhamchurch Village Shop moved into a purpose-built facility in 2019, five years after it opened in the village hall

A village shop in north Cornwall is asking for new volunteers as it enters its second decade.

Marhamchurch Village Shop, near Bude, is celebrating its 10-year anniversary on Thursday.

The volunteer-run shop opened in 2014 in the village hall, following the closure of the village Post Office five years earlier, before moving to a purpose-built shop in 2019.

Chris Edwards, chair of shop's management committee, said: "The shop only survives because of its volunteers, so we're always looking for new people able to help out and this seemed the perfect time to encourage new recruits."

The volunteer-run shop started in a temporary home in the village hall before building work was completed on the new shop

Mrs Edwards said most volunteers helped out for two to three hours a week, with others offering specific skills such as book keeping.

Originally funded by grants and fundraising events, the shop is now self financing, and has "even been able to make donations to village needs such as the Methodist Church Hall and the play park," a spokesperson said.

Past, present and future volunteers were invited to raise a glass in celebration of the anniversary at the shop's annual Christmas get together on Friday at 19:00 GMT, they said.