I don’t know about you but where did February go? Even with an extra. day February has past by like a flash! We have had a very busy month in the shop and café despite the many soggy days we have had. Love was in the air for Valentine’s Day, selling lots of yummy chocolates, beautiful bouquets and many last-minute cards!

Spring is in the air with lighter mornings and evenings and bulbs slowly showing their heads. Daffodils and vibrant rhubarb are available in the shop bringing some cheerful spring colour. Have you tried “Kalettes”? These are greens with a twist, they taste like a cross between kale and brussels sprouts but milder in flavour and less bitter. They are super healthy and easy to cook either stir-fried, roasted or steamed. Pop in and buy some.

Thank you to those of you who entered our annual Seville Marmalade competition. The winner after much deliberation was David Pearson. The judges described David’s marmalade as having a lovely flavour, great texture and the right amount of peel. Well done David.

I am very proud to announce that we have once again been nominated for a Rural Oscar by the Countryside Alliance. We have been chosen as the Best Village Shop in the South West Region. Voting has opened so please start voting now. It is really easy to do just scan the QR code on the picture below or go onto the Countryside Alliance website and find the link.

Coming up in March we will be celebrating Mothers Day, 10 March 2024, with a great selection of cards and flowers. If you would like to order a personal flower bouquet in advance please just pop in and ask.

Last week we thanked Andrew Packe for all his hard-work, support and time that he very generously gave firstly to help start the planning for a new village shop, then volunteering on a weekly basis. He also gave his time being a member of the shop committee. Thank you, Andrew we appreciate all your hard work, and we are thrilled that you will continue to volunteer in the shop.

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 are interested then please do contact me for a chat.

Finally, all of us at Bledington Shop would like to send our deepest condolences to Sheila Truslove on the sad news of her dear sister Gillian.

Happy New Year to you all. We hope you had a wonderful Christmas and an excellent start to 2024. January has arrived with a soggy start and then a few days of cold crisp mornings, with beautiful blue skies. I know which I prefer.

January is filled with lots of root vegetables and citrus fruits for all to enjoy. Eating seasonally is best for us, the environment and supports local suppliers. We have leeks, parsnips and various types of kale. Plus, not forgetting our sunny “Seville” oranges now ready for marmalade making.

Once again, we are in search of Bledington’s Marmalade Champion! So, wash down your pans, dig out your recipe books and get bubbling!

Please do bring us your jar of homemade unlabelled marmalade, to be crowned Bledington Marmalade King or Queen. All entries will be judged blind. The deadline is noon Friday 16 February 2024. The winner will be announced on Monday 19 February 2024.

Have you seen our fantastic range of soups from the Real Soup Company? When it comes to a tasty soup, we know that everyone’s choice is different. From lentil to butternut squash, tomato and basil to leek and potato. They are available in ready to heat containers. All their soups are allergen free, vegetarian and vegan varieties available. They all go extremely well with a warmed up slice of Mark’s Sourdough.

In the coming weeks Spring will be here so lots of new fresh fruit and vegetables will be arriving, plus local seasonal flowers. Love will be in the air for Valentines Day, on Wednesday 14 February. Don’t forget to spoil your special valentine with a gift. We will have Dee’s cards, Stow flowers, Cotswold Carress lotions and potions and Cotswold Chocolate Co. chocolates.

Our community shop is the hub of the village. We are here for everyone who lives in Bledington, Foscot and surrounding villages. The fantastic volunteers and I are not only here to sell you groceries and serve you yummy food and drinks, we are here to help you. Our café is a warm and welcoming place, so if you fancy a chat and a cuppa, please do pop in. If you are new to the village and could spare some time, we are always needing additional volunteers. It’s the perfect place to meet new people and feel part of a community. We look forward to seeing you soon.

Happy 4th Birthday to us. Can you believe it has been four glorious years since we opened the doors to our amazing community shop and café. We celebrated in style and held a raffle thanks to the donations of our brilliant suppliers. The raffle was in aid of the North Cotswold Foodbank and thanks to the generous support of you our customers we raised over £450.

Congratulations to the Alison Blears, Alan Jarvis, Arthur Morley and many other villagers who won one of our many prizes.

Move over plums and blackberries the new fruits on show are our easy peeler, sweet Satsumas plus we have delicious and yummy Medjool dates which can be eaten on their own or used in a traybake or maybe a sticky toffee pudding. Kale, kalettes (sprout flowers) and cavolo nero. All are incredibly versatile and can be boiled, stir-fried and steamed.

With Christmas only four weeks away the shop will be transforming into Santa’s grotto. We will have everything you need from turkeys to twiglets, brussel sprouts to bubbles. If you haven’t started already why not stock up on your favourite festive treats. Our Christmas food order form is available in the shop. You will be able to order everything you need, turkeys, vegetables, smoked salmon and pork pies to name but a few items. The shop has something for everyone, so let the festive preparations begin.

A Diary date for your diary: we will holding a tasting event in the shop on Saturday 16th December 2023. This will be an opportunity for you to try some of our amazing tasty delights that we sell in the shop. So please come along and try a nibble from local cheeses, pork pies and chocolates. Plus we will be promoting our new Old Orchard Whisky. So why not pop in and try a small dram!!