THE VILLAGE ENJOYED a particularly busy Easter period this year with plenty of visitors coming to explore the area. The shop and café were at the heart of the activity welcoming both familiar faces and new customers throughout the holidays.

May is the month of sunshine, blooming flowers and bright sunny days. Spring has truly arrived in Bledington and with it comes one of the season’s most anticipated treats: fresh strawberries. We now have locally-sourced strawberries, bringing a taste of early summer. Known for their sweet-ness and vibrant flavour, these strawberries are always popular.

Joining them on the shelves are other seasonal favourites including fresh asparagus and Jersey new potatoes. Perfect for light spring meals, these ingredients offer a simple way to enjoy the best of British produce whether paired together, served with a touch of butter or included in a family roast.

The arrival of these seasonal items reflects the shop’s continued commitment to supporting local growers and providing high quality produce.

Did you know the shop receives a delivery of fresh meat from R & D Walkers Butchers every day? If there is anything you would like to order from them, please do get in touch and we can organise everything. Have you visited the café recently and enjoyed one of our hot tasty savouries? Some of our favourites are ham and cheese toastie or classic tuna melt and are available throughout the day.

On behalf of the North Cotswold Foodbank we would like to thank everyone in the village who has generously supported our ongoing collection for the Cotswold Foodbank.

From January to March this year we are delighted to share that  over 81kg of essential food and household products have been donated through the shop. This is a fantastic contribution and will make a real difference to individuals and families in need across the local area. Donations can continue to bedropped off at the shop during normal opening hours. We encourage anyone who can give to please consider adding an extra item or two to their weekly shop. Every contribution no matter how small adds up to make a meaningful impact.

A heartfelt thank you goes to all our wonderful volunteers whose time and dedication keep the shop and café running so smoothly.

Don’t forget our volunteer incentive scheme you could win a £50 voucher as a token of appreciation. The shop is open every day from 9.00 am to 5.00pm, apart from Sundays when closing time is 4pm. Our café closes one hour before the shop. We look forward to seeing you all very soon.

MARCH is a wonderful “in between” month – the last of winter’s comfort foods mingling with the first hopeful signs of spring. Here at Bledington shop our shelves are filling with the very best of seasonal local produce.  Eating seasonally means fresher flavours, better value and supporting British growers. This month we can look forward to purple sprouting broccoli, spring greens and savoy cabbage. We also get a delivery each day of spring daffodils. 

On Tuesday 3rd March representatives from Gigaclear will be joining us in the café for a friendly drop in session. If you would like to find out more about hyper-fast fibre broadband in our village, this is a great opportunity to ask questions and explore your options. Whether you work from home, stream TV or simply want faster and more reliable internet, do pop in for a informal chat and a free drink. No need to book, just drop by and say hello. 

Mother’s Day falls this year on Sunday 15th March 2026. A wonderful reason to show appreciation for mums, grandmothers and all those who care for us. We have lots of goodies in the shop to show your love. Beautiful cards, delicious chocolates and stunning flowers.

Every purchase at Bledington Community Shop helps keep our village vibrant and connected. As a community-owned shop, your support truly makes a difference.  Our wonderful volunteers are at the heart of everything we do. To say thank you and to encourage a few new faces to join the team we are launching a volunteer prize draw. For every shift you complete all volunteers will be entered into a draw to win a £50 voucher to spend in the shop.

Here’s to a dry and sunny March and a wonderful time to celebrate the amazing Mums in our lives. 

NOVEMBER IS A MONTH of transitions between the vibrant hues of autumn and the frosty mornings of early winter. The trees are slowly losing their autumnal leaves and the nights are drawing in.

Remember the shop will be closing early on Sundays once the clocks change: from Sunday 26th October the shop will close at 2pm (café at 1pm). Make sure to pop in in time for your Sunday essentials!

With the colder weather approaching, what can be better than a bowl of hot soup? We have a great selection of soups from the The Real Soup Company who recently won a great taste award. They come in handy grab-and-go pots which can be heated up and taken on your travels.

In the age of rising costs and the hassle of trying to get to Stow or Chipping Norton, you might be surprised to learn that many everyday items we sell in the shop are actually cheaper. We check our prices regularly against supermarkets and we focus on buying locally whenever possible. When you add in the cost of fuel and time the case becomes even stronger: shopping locally saves you more than just money! If you haven’t shopped with us, why not challenge us and compare what you’d pay here with your usual supermarket spend.

Looking for a cosy bite to eat without leaving the village? We are now serving up freshly-made toasties, perfect for a quick lunch or a leisurely catch-up over coffee. Eat in or take away.

Every year we ask for feedback from our customers and others in the village by means of a survey. The core questions remain the same year on year, and this helps us measure our performance. We would like feedback from those who don’t use the shop as well as regulars. Please fill in the questionnaire on the facing page, or better still scan the QR code and fill it in online.

We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all our fantastic volunteers who give their time, energy and smiles to keep the shop and café running smoothly. Your dedication helps make our village shop more than just a place to buy essentials—you make it a place of warmth, connection and kindness.

We couldn’t do it without you – THANK YOU

AS THE LAZY DAYS OF AUGUST dwindle away, the golden hues of autumn are be- ginning to creep in. While it’s always a little sad to say goodbye to the joys of summer, September offers its own magic-crisp mornings, vibrant leaves, and hedgerows bursting with fruit just waiting to be picked.

We’ve had a truly wonderful August at the shop, welcoming not only our cherished local customers but also visitors from far and wide. From New Zealand to the USA, and many European neighbours in between, our guests have been full of praise for the shop and the charm of our beautiful village.  

As we transition into the new season, fresh produce is arriving daily. Look out for juicy, ripe figs—delicious on their own or served with blue cheese and walnuts in a fresh green salad.

Blackberries are still plentiful in the hedgerows and apples are beginning to fall, making it the perfect time to get baking! Whether it’s jams, jellies, cakes or crumbles, we’ve got all the ingredients you’ll need right here in the shop. In the coming days we’ll be welcoming winter squashes, curly kale, and purple sprouting broccoli— ideal for homemade soups, hearty stews, or roasting for a warming autumn supper.

If you’ve wandered past the village shop recently and noticed couple of brown paper bags hanging mysteriously by the entrance, you’re not alone. It’s not lost lunch or an unusual bit of décor: it’s actually part of a clever eco-friendly wasp deterrent! So next- time you walk in and notice the brown bags swaying in the breeze, remember their doing a good job keeping our shop a little less buzzy.   We are proud to celebrate the achievements of our incredible young volunteers following their A-Level and GCSE results.

Congratulations to Emily Rich, who is heading to Belfast to study politics, Katy Ottoway, off to King’s College London, and Angus Sherringham, going to Worcester to studying counselling psychology. And a big well-done to our GCSE students Flavia Abbate, Henry Rich and Jemima Hall. Everyone at Bledington Shop thanks you for your hard work and dedication. We wish you all the best in your exciting next chapters.  

If you know a young person who would like to volunteer in the shop, we’d love to hear from you. It’s a great way to gain experience and be part of our lovely community. Here’s to a fruitful and flavourful September! 

IF YOU HAVE BEEN in the shop recently you will have seen our new fruit and vegetable chiller display. Reaction has been uniformly positive, particularly during this recent hot spell. Our salads, in particular, are now so much fresher. Many thanks to David Bowditch for organising the installation.

The new chiller and the new rapid oven have been paid for from the generous legacy left through BAFCA by Gillian Truslove. The installation of the chiller marks the completion of the improvements that we started over a year ago. Over this period we have extended the building, re-landscaped the exterior and remodelled the interior.

We are slowly learning how to do more with the rapid oven, so do take a look at the cafe menu when you are next in.

Our annual Members’ Meeting, where you can hear more about our plans, is on Thursday 10th July at 5.30 pm. There will also be an opportunity to try some of our wines.

The soft fruit season has arrived and there are some really attractive varieties available. As usual, prices are initially high but will soon drop as the harvest develops.

Our locally-sourced ice cream provides the perfect complement. Many thanks to everyone who has helped out recently. Lisa has been able to return to work part time and we wish her well in her continuing recovery.  

JUNE IS THE START OF SUMMER and what a wonderful May we have had. With warm days and no rain, there is speculation about whether we will have a glorious summer.

With Summer just around the corner I am sure we are all dusting off the BBQ’s. We have a fantastic selection of sausages, burgers and steaks. Why not include your salad ingredients and dressings.

June is such an exciting time for food. A lot of the delicious soft fruits are coming into season. We have already said hello to strawberries and there is such a wide array of lovely British vegetables coming. Fresh peas and broad beans will be available soon.

I would like to wish good luck to all our amazing young volunteers past and present who are in the middle of taking their GCSE’s and A-level exams. Your hard work, kind- ness and service to our customers has really made a difference. Now it’s time to shine in your exams too! Believe in yourself, stay focused and give it your best. You’ve got this.

If you know a young person over the age of 14 who would like to volunteer and help in the shop please do pop in and have a chat. Contact me on 01608 659977 or manager@bledingtonshop.com.

The Café entertained a very special customer at the beginning of the month, shown here with Graeme, Sarah and Camilla. The new High Sheriff of Gloucestershire joined us for a sausage roll, homemade cake and a cappuccino. Julie Kent MBE is High Sheriff, a role that will see her supporting lots of local charities, businesses and the young people of Gloucestershire. Julie’s wish is to visit every northerly, southerly, easterly and westerly point of Gloucestershire. You can’t get any more easterly than Bledington  

THE MONTH OF MAY marks the approach of summer, and recent weather conditions suggest that summer is on its way.

We have enjoyed a very busy month in both the shop and café with lots of visitors to the village during the Easter period. Marks Cotswold Bakery, our award-winning bread supplier, provided us with tasty hot cross buns and chocolate treats.

The shop has some new and exciting products. We have a new supplier of jersey homemade ice creams. Gorsehill Abbey Farm based just outside Broadway make their own luxurious ice creams which has won several Great Taste awards. It is available in 125ml and 500ml tubs, and in three yummy flavours, chocolate, strawberry and vanilla. Which one will you enjoy first?

We also have a new Mango Ketchup, made by the Fruity Kitchen. Try it as a dip, or drizzled onto yoghurt when serving a curry, or as an accompaniment to ham.

When visiting the café recently you may have noticed we have installed a sparkling new oven. In the coming weeks new dishes will be available in our café, so keep an eye out for our up- dated menu.

Don’t forget, we also stock a range of sandwiches, filled rolls and savoury snacks.

A BIG thank you to all our amazing volunteers that help keep the shop running. They cover so many tasks. You could get involved in as much or as little as you like. From serving behind the till, making coffees or changing lightbulbs there is a role for everyone. To learn more, visit the shop for a chat.  

WITH THE NEW MONTH of April, Spring is now well on its way. It’s time to celebrate and its nature’s way of saying ”let’s party!”

What a joy it is to see all the gorgeous bulbs and tree blossoms come to life. It means lots of new fruits and vegetables coming into season.

We have had our first delivery of English asparagus which is grown in the Wye valley and, of course, Yorkshire rhubarb. How will you enjoy yours?

A big thank you to all of you who entered the Marmalade competition. We sold lots of Seville oranges and bags of sugar. The winner for 2025 was Angela Lear.

We also held a children’s colouring competition, well done to all who entered. The winner was Lily, aged 7 who won a Paddington lunchbox.

Easter is coming and we have a great selection of cards, gifts, and chocolates. Come in and grab a sweet treat.

And don’t forget we will have some delicious Hot Cross Buns for you to enjoy from Mark’s Bakery. These will be available from Monday 7th April. If you would like to guarantee a packet of buns then please send me an email and I can reserve, you some. Of course we will have a daily delivery of them.

The clocks will once more go forward for the start of British Summer Time on Sunday 30th March 2025. Additionally, the closing hours of the shop will be extended to 4pm, with the café closing an hour before.

The shop and café only succeed be- cause of many people in the village sup- port us. If you are not yet involved, please pop in and find out more. There is something for all. Everyone welcome.

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for updates and new products.  

HAPPY NEW YEAR to you all. It has certainly been a very cold start to 2025, we have had many days not reaching above freezing. Don’t forget our community shop is a warm and perfect place to enjoy a hot warming drink and something to eat.

Daffodils are now available in the shop a sure sign Spring is on its way.

The new year for some might mean starting a new healthy diet. Did you know we sell lots of healthy options in the shop. Not only do we sell a lot of seasonal and healthy fruit and vegetables which are delivered to us daily from Ebrington, we can take orders for specific items.

We sell Tims Kefir Greek style yoghurt, a bio live yoghurt which contains loads of gut friendly active bacteria. Have you seen our selection of Kombucha drinks, and “Soul Kitchen” instant hot soup drinks that provide you with one of your five-a-day.

Sunny Seville Oranges have arrived now ready for marmalade making, which means once again we are searching for Bledington’s Marmalade Cham- pion! So wash down your pans, dig out your recipe books and get bubbling! Please bring us your jar of homemade unlabelled marmalade to be crowned Bledington Marmalade King or Queen. All entries will be judged blind. Entries need to be at the shop by Saturday 22nd February 2025.

We are also holding a competition for our younger customers. We all know Paddington Bear was a great fan of marmalade sandwiches so we would like our younger customers to either draw/paint a picture of Paddington Bear with a marmalade sandwich. We also have some lovely pictures of Paddington Bear that can be coloured in. There will be a special prize for the winner. Entries in please by Saturday 22nd.

Yes, its that time again love is in the air… we’ll have Valentines cards sourced by our helper Dee, beautifully decorated biscuits, special chocolates from the Cotswold Chocolate shop and some lovely tied bunches from Stow Flowers. If you would like to pre-order a flower bouquet please do pop into the shop and place your order.

A big thank you to all our customers who very generously donated to the North Cotswold food bank that we hold at the shop. Each week we fill up a huge tray with groceries that are taken to the food bank depot. It makes a huge difference to people’s lives in the wider area. If you are new to the village and have some spare time we are always needing additional helpers. It’s the perfect place to meet new people and feel part of a community.

We look forward to seeing you soon. 

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.