April has brought us many showers, but as the proverb says, let’s hope it brings lots of May flowers. We have enjoyed a very busy month in both the shop and café with lots of visitors to the village during the Easter period. Our award winning bread supplier, Marks Cotswold Bakery, supplied us with lots of delicious hot cross buns and the Cotswold Chocolate Company supplied the most delicious easter eggs in various shapes and sizes, from chicks to bunnies.

We have lots of fun events coming up in the weeks ahead, with the first ever Bledington Community Shop and Café dog competition! As you know we are dog friendly and love to see our canine friends coming in with their well-behaved owners! If you own a dog, please bring a photograph to the shop and we will display your furry friend for all our customers to enjoy. We are asking pupils of Bledington Primary School, who live in Bledington and surrounding villages, to come and visit the shop and vote for their favourite dog. The winning dog will enjoy something tasty!

To celebrate his Majesty the King’s Coronation we are holding a fun “Right Royal Raffle”, with all prizes being royalty related. To enter simply donate a product to the North Cotswold foodbank box at the shop or pop a few pennies in the collection tin. Good luck.

We have lots of new goodies coming in for the Coronation from Coronation Chicken crisps to King Charles sweets, so please pop in and have a look.

Finally, Louise Jackson, one of our super volunteers, and I, will be off to the House of Lords on the 17May 2023 to attend the finals of the Countryside Alliance Rural Oscars awards. Please keep everything crossed and hope that we win the Best Village Shop in the whole of the United Kingdom. We look forward to seeing you soon.