Volunteers to host coffee and ice cream event to raise funds for community shop

On June 27 staff at the shop, which was created in just ten days to cope with the Covid-19 crisis, will host the region’s top-rated ice-cream maker and a qualified barista to stage an ice-cream and coffee event.

In May, volunteers at the emergency shop hosted the “Isolation Bake-Off” which saw dozens of villagers bringing cakes, biscuits and jams for the shop to sell.

The event raised £200 which will be spent to create a community shop in the village.

David Sturgess, a member of the Brent Knoll Community Shop steering group, said: “We’re determined to make our ‘Emergency Shop’ a special adventure for our community.

“Our June event will see the maker of this region’s best ice-creams join us from Totnes – a town that truly understands the value of community – and our own local volunteer who knows how to make every kind of coffee."

The emergency shop has also been praised by the Plunket Foundation – the national charity which has backed more than 300 successful community projects.

“Our ‘Emergency Shop’ is now a case-study on the Plunkett Website to demonstrate what a local rural community can achieve," Mr Sturgess said.

"This has only been made possible by the amazing support of the volunteers who have come forward to help us to run that shop."