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.

British Summertime has finally arrived, how lovely to see the sunshine and enjoy a few days of warmth. Thankfully in the shop we have air conditioning, which is being generated by our solar panels, making the shop even more green.

Don’t forget our fruit and vegetables are delivered to us daily from Drinkwaters. Our amazing selection are not packaged in lots of plastic, you can buy exactly what you need, plus it helps to reduce food waste which is very important to us all.

Mike Logue and his team of builders are making great progress, helping us extend our community shop and café. They have installed the outside patio area and the floor for the extension is now being laid.

With the better weather you may consider throwing open your windows and do some Spring cleaning. We have everything you need plus a great selection of eco-friendly cleaning products.

Have you seen our fantastic selection of ready-made frozen foods. Lodge Farm, a small family-run business in Herefordshire creates lovingly homemade gourmet frozen ready meals. They carefully source all their ingredients from reputable suppliers who share the same ethos about food and the environment. From casseroles, to pies, they also have a great selection of vegan and vegetarian ready meals. Easy, convenient and totally delicious. Which one will you try first?

A big thank you to those of you who volunteer in the shop. I know that helping in the shop is a great way of giving something back to the village and the local community. We are always looking for new volunteers please do pop into the shop and have a chat. Its lots of fun.