In summer 2020, local residents started to discuss the idea of trying to open this store again. After much effort and many Zoom meetings, Sylvania Community Stores Ltd was established in March 2021 as a FCA-registered community benefit society owned by its shareholder members and run by a small management committee assisted by other volunteers (please sign up below if you want to help 😊). The stores opened on 24 July 2021 and provides an exciting new community stores and cafe that will benefit all the local community. A Post Office service is now also available in the stores from 2:15-4:15pm every Thursday. If there is sufficient demand for this then more opening hours will become possible so please consider using it.
You can also help support the stores and cafe in several other ways:
- start to regularly use the stores and cafe – items are competitively priced compared to large supermarkets. Also please let the store managers know what you would like to be able to buy from the stores if it’s not already in stock;
- become one of our regular volunteers – we now have about 20 kind people who typically spend a few hours each week helping to serve in the stores and cafe. Every little helps and it’s a fun way to meet neighbours so if you’re interested please pop into the stores and ask the managers about this. Full training will be provided in serving, making coffees, etc.;
- become a shareholder member.
To keep up with what’s going on and get more involved helping us, please check out these links:
- Our facebook newspage (open to all – not just facebook users)
- Our youtube channel where we’ll put videos like this video about our vision for the stores and why it’s fun and helpful to volunteer.
- DevonLive news article
- Our registration form for signing up to our newsletter and volunteer mailing lists that use sendinblue to send out emails securely (please check your email spam/junk folders if you think you’re not receiving the updates).