HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO US! It is hard to believe that our popular shop has now been open for five years. This is an amazing milestone. It has only been achieved by the fantastic support from you, our loyal customers, so thank you very much. In November we welcomed and served our 200,000th customer. I have to confess I wasn’t counting!

Move over plums and blackberries, the new soft fruits on show are our easy peeler, sweet Satsumas. We also have delicious Medjool dates which can be eaten on their own or used in a sticky toffee pudding with lots of fresh cream. Brussels sprouts are now in season which only means one thing, Christmas is only four weeks away.

As we approach the festive season, we are thrilled to unveil our new Christmas mug, designed exclusively again for our shop by the super-talented Amy Jackson. The design features a charming illustration of festive ducks. The mug is perfect for sipping your favourite hot drinks on those chilly winter days. Whether you want to treat yourself, or perhaps give it as a perfect Christmas gift, they are available to buy in the shop now.

As in previous years, we are offering a Christmas order form for customers to pre-order your Christmas essentials. We will have everything you need from turkeys to twiglets, Brussels sprouts to bubbles. If you haven’t started already, why not stock up on your favourite festive treats. Our order form is available now.

The Café now has a seasonal menu, including festive hot drinks, mince pies and Christmas filled sandwiches. Why not try a warmed mince pie with a big dollop of clotted cream? My favourite.

Thank you as always to our volunteers and customers. We would like to take this opportunity to express thanks to our wonderful team of volunteers, whose hard work and dedication make the shop and café such a welcoming hub for the community. Additionally, thanks to all our loyal customers for your continued support throughout the year.

The warm sunny days are now behind us and all we can think of is the cooler weather. Let’s hope we have seen the last of the rain. The trees are slowly losing their autumnal leaves and the Autumn fruit and vegetables are now in the shop. I don’t know about you, but I get very excited for warming stews and all the delicious comfort foods around at the moment.

Why not bring Autumnal flavours into your kitchen with pumpkins which can be made into soups, roasted with honey or even used in a pasta bake. Kale and purple sprouting broccoli have made a seasonal return and can be used in lots of recipes. Did you know that purple-sprouting broccoli has been found to contain higher levels of antioxidants. A super food!

Don’t wish to slave over a hot stove? Why not pop into the shop and see our range of yummy soups from the Real Soup Company. We have a wide selection, from Indonesian chickpea to carrot and coriander. These can be found in the deli fridge. We now sell a fantastic selection of filled rolls and sandwiches. These are freshly baked and prepared for us and are so perfect for lunch. We have a great selection available, including the traditional cheese and pickle or ham salad.

From Sunday 27th October 2024 not only will we have to change the clocks we will also be closing earlier. Every Sunday during winter the shop and café will be closing at 2.00pm. So please shop early to avoid disappointment.

Finally a big thank you to all the amazing volunteers who live in Bledington and surrounding villages. Welcome to Christopher Higham, Avril Collis and Mary Gopsill who has just recently moved into the village. Without your support and time that you all very generously give this shop would not be such a success that it is so THANK YOU.

We have made a good start to the shop extension. You will have noticed the walls are up, the outside terrace is finished and the windows and doors are ready to be installed. Mike Logue and his team are making great progress and I will update you very soon with a date for our grand opening.

Of course we are open for business and still offering our wide variety of fresh foods, hot drinks and home made delicious cakes. Plus all your grocery needs.

Isn’t it wonderful to finally see some sun and to feel some warmth on our faces. With the warmer weather it means new fruits and vegetables have arrived in the shop. Have you tried our amazing nectarines and peaches, plus broad beans and don’t forget the sweetest strawberries. I must confess I have eaten far too many this year!

Although we made it to the shortlist for the South West region for the Countryside Alliance Awards we were not selected for the final but were main proud to be “up there” with the best and will enter again next year.

Have you seen the many new products we have started stocking this summer? Sparking Ginger Kombucha is a delicious healthy drink made from green tea, infused with lively zest of Kombucha cultures and the essence of ginger. You will find this in our cold drinks fridge. For our breakfast cereal lovers we have a new blend of “Dorset” cereals. A classic fruit, nuts and seeds museli.

We also launched, at the Bledington Fête, our brand new beer “Tail Feathers”. This new beer has been especially brewed for us by Virtue Brewing based in Milton-under-Wychwood. An English Pale Ale, golden/blonde with a crisp fruity floral aroma. A Duckling good beer. Many thanks to the super talented Amy Jackson for her amazing, designed label.

We are still collecting donations for the North Cotswold Food Bank. The box is located by the entrance door when you come into the shop.We are always overwhelmed by the generosity of our customers. Each week we fill up a huge box of groceries these are then distributed to those in our community who need a little extra help. On behalf of North Cotswold Food Bank thank you again.

If you are new to Bledington and Foscot and would like to give back to your community then, maybe, you might consider volunteering in the shop? If you would like to get involved then please do contact me for a chat. It’s fun, easy and a great way to meet your neighbours.