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