Village Community Grant Scheme

The Hampshire Village Community Grant Scheme was launched in 2008. It was developed with the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA), Community Action Hampshire and the Hampshire Association of Local Councils and is intended to provide better services locally for rural people and to improve access to essential services not available locally. Its focus is on helping increase the use of Village Shops, particularly those that are losing their Post Offices, and/or support the creation of new community-led village stores.

SEEDA has provided around £300,000 from their Rural Access to Services programme for this scheme and Hampshire County Council is providing £100,000 from the Local Authorities Business Growth Initiative (LABGI) fund to supplement this. Hampshire County Council is working with each of the district councils as appropriate. So far, twenty-three village shops have been awarded grants under this scheme.

Apply for a Village Community Grant

Village Shops Conference all wrapped up

The second Village Shops Conference was held on Thursday 20th October 2011, with 50 delegates attending a full day of events.

A Post Office representative spoke on the latest developments and news, and experience of running the Post Office Local model was given by The Wallops Village Stores.

Delegates were treated to some inspirational ideas on using social media and the internet from David Johnston of Chilbolton Post Office and Stores, and a local representative from the Plunkett Foundation advised on harnessing the power of the local community in running a successful village shop.

The afternoon was taken up with a wrapping and hampers workshop by expert Arona Khan, and with sessions on using marketing and visual merchandising work for village shops to increase footfall and build customer base. Most of those who attended showed interest in the idea of being part of a Village shops network run by shops for shops, in order to exchange information, good practice and work more closely together for mutual advantage.

Download presentations from the conference

• Metamorphosis: Shaping tomorrow's retailers  2mb
• Chilbolton Stores: Social media and the internet  2mb
• The Plunkett Foundation: Harnessing the power of your community  108kb

If you are interested in helping to organise a village shops network, then please contact Anne Harrison, email anne.harrison@hants.gov.uk

Are you thinking of setting up a community shop in your village?

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Then now is the time. For a limited period only, additional funding may be available to assist you, making a total of up to £40,000.  

Call Anne Harrison on 01962 846558 or email anne.harrison@hants.gov.uk to discuss your situation and find out more.