As the days start to brighten and become longer Spring is finally on its way. 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, unusually, our first delivery of asparagus which is grown in the Wye Valley and, of course, rhubarb from the famous Yorkshire region. How will you enjoy yours, with custard, ice-cream or both?!

Easter will be here in the coming days. The Easter bunny has visited the shop and has delivered an excellent selection of egg-citing chocolates, cards and treats. We have a daily delivery of the award
winning and delicious “Mark’s Bread” Hot Cross buns. These will be available until Good Friday. Customers have suggested to me they enjoy them toasted with lashings of butter, strawberry jam and even Marmite!!!

If you are hosting a delicious Easter lunch with your friends and family, we have a vast
selection of tasty treats and seasonal trimmings. We can also order in advance, for you, different cuts/joints of lamb for roasting, so please order early.

There is still time to vote for us in the Countryside Alliance Rural Oscar awards. We have been nominated for Best Village Shop/Post Office in the South West Region. Voting closes at midnight 1 April 2024. Thank you to those of you who have already voted.

The shop will be closing early at 4.00pm on Good Friday and Easter Monday and we will be closed all day on Easter Sunday. With the clocks changing too, so will our shop opening times. From Sunday 14 April 2024 the shop and café Sunday opening times will be changing; each Sunday our café will close at 3.00pm and the shop will close at 4.00pm.

If you have visited the shop recently you may have seen some new young faces volunteering. I am thrilled that Henry, Jemima and Katy have all signed up to volunteer as part of their Duke of Edinburgh award scheme. If you know of any young person who would like to complete their work
experience, it’s a fantastic opportunity to gain invaluable experience, develop new skills and make a positive difference to people’s lives. Please do pop into the shop and find out more.

We look forward to seeing you soon

Sarah

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.