Wow where did February go????? We have had a very busy month in the shop. Love was in the air for Valentine’s Day, selling lots of yummy chocolates from the Cotswold Chocolate Company and beautiful bouquets from Stow Flowers.

Spring is definitely in the air, with lighter mornings and evenings and bulbs slowly showing their heads. Daffodils and vibrant rhubarb from Yorkshire are available in the shop bringing some cheerful spring colour.

Thank you to those of you who entered our annual Seville Marmalade Competition. We had 12 entries, compared to 19 in 2022. Our three judges Dave, Vicky and Ben (right), who all volunteer in the shop, had a very tricky and sweet decision to make. The winner after much deliberation was Graeme Ferrero, our shop Chairman. The judges described Graeme’s marmalade as having a lovely flavour, great texture and just the right amount of peel. Congratulations Graeme.

Shrove Tuesday or Pancake Day saw us selling lots of lemons, sugar and eggs. We had many different toppings described to us from bananas and chocolate to butter and sugar. What did you put on yours?

I am very excited to announce that we are one of the South West Regional finalists of the “Countryside Alliance” Rural Awards 2022/23 for Village Shop/Post Office. If you would like to vote for us it is very simple. Next time you are shopping please just ask to sign the voting form or alternatively you can show your support by voting online by going onto the Countryside Alliance website. Thank you in advance for your support. Voting is open till Sunday 5 March and the winners will be announced by Mid-March.

Coming up in March we will be celebrating Mother’s Day with a great selection of cards and flowers. If you would like to order a personal flower bouquet in advance please just speak to myself or Maura.

Once again, a big thank you to those of you who volunteer and help in the shop. Our shop and café continues to be a success because of the generous time that you give. If you are new to the village and could give just an hour or two volunteering then please do consider joining our amazing team. We look forward to seeing you all very soon.

Happy New Year and we hope you have all had a very Merry Christmas and a great start to 2023.

January arrived with very soggy weather, so our café has been very busy with customers sitting inside and enjoying hot drinks, tasty pastries, pies and delicious cakes. Don’t forget our community café is a welcoming warm hub to meet friends for a good old chinwag!

We continue to enjoy an abundance of lovely seasonal fruit and vegetables and we are bursting with the fruits of the Spanish Sunshine. Seville oranges are back and once again we are on the search to find this year’s local Marmalade Champion! So wash down your pans, dig out your recipe books and get cooking and take on our first current champion, David Pearson. Please bring us your jar of homemade, unlabelled marmalade for the chance to win. All entries will be judged blind. The deadline is noon Saturday 18 February 2023, entry forms are in the shop and the winner will be announced on Monday 20 February 2023.

All at Bledington Community Shop are very proud to support the North Cotswold Foodbank and we also support the village “Community Cupboard”. The Community Cupboard has two main aims. Firstly to reduce food waste and secondly to support those in the community who need a helping hand, so any donation would be so gratefully appreciated.

We held a very special birthday party in December with Sheila Truslove, Ida Cox and Wendy Scott all celebrating. They enjoyed many funny stories, and lots of cups of tea and cakes If you
would like to enjoy a birthday get-together, please do have a chat with us about your special occasion and we will be happy to make it a fun time.

In the coming weeks Spring will be here so lots of new fresh fruit and vegetables will be arriving plus local daffodils and tulips. Love will be in the air in February with Valentine Day. We will have a great selection of cards, flowers, chocolates and wine to give to that very special person.

As a community shop, not only do we sell groceries and serve lots of yummy food and drink, but we can help in other ways. We have an amazing spectrum of volunteers with many different experiences and skillsets. We are always happy to help if you are struggling to fill out forms or just need someone to talk to. This is what makes us a community.

Some of us in January think about making New Year resolutions. Mine is eating less chocolate, perhaps yours might be volunteering in the shop. If it is, then please do pop in and have a chat. If you are new to Bledington it is a great way to meet new friends and your neighbours. Maura and I look forward to seeing you all very soon.