April 2022

Following the successful share issue in November which raised over £47,000 towards the project and saw more than 190 people become members in Oakley Village Stores Limited, the Management Committee have continued to work hard to move the project forward with the aim of being on site building the shop this summer. Recent workstreams include:

• The issuing of share certificates to all members (if you haven’t had yours please let us know);

• The submission of multiple grant funding applications to local and national organisations to raise the balance of the start-up funds required. Two further (and by far our most substantial) applications will be lodged in April as soon as we have our first set of annual accounts; and

• Finalising the planning application for the building on the site at the rear of the village hall. This should have been submitted by the time you read this article! The planning application reference will be made known to members/villagers via the our website and Facebook along with details of how people can submit comments in support (or otherwise)!

Many thanks once again to all who have invested. The Management Committee continue to meet monthly and the minutes of those meetings along with further updates and information on the project can be viewed here. We will also be in touch with all members in due course with details of our inaugural AGM.

In the meantime, if you have any queries regarding the project, feel you are able to help with the build project in any way or wish to be added to our provisional list of volunteers to work in the shop once it is up and running please don’t hesitate to contact us here.