THE treasurer of Cheriton Fitzpaine Community shop, Barbara Draper, and her husband, Alan, are to attend a garden party at Buckingham Palace, after having been nominated by the shop management committee.

Barbara has worked tirelessly to establish newspaper distribution in Cheriton Fitzpaine, and is now very busy managing finances for the new shop.

Not only is she overseeing what is spent on building works, she is also heavily involved in deciding what stock should be bought in, and where it will be best displayed for the customers.

After an application submitted by Charles Mossman, the Community Shop team was fortunate enough to receive a £28,500 grant from The Prince’s Countryside Fund, payable over three years.

This has helped enable the team to employ a part-time shop manager and fund the purchase of the shop’s initial stock and electronic till system.

The project was recently chosen as one to be showcased at Buckingham Palace and Barbara and her husband Alan will be attending a celebratory garden party with HRH Prince Charles.

Barbara, who is also a keen WI member will no doubt have stories to tell on her return!

The finished shell of the Community Shop, next to the Methodist Chapel, looks very attractive indeed and has received lots of positive comments.

Behind the scenes there have been painters hard at work and the ceiling has been fully insulated and boarded out in tongue and groove. Electricity and heating have been installed and a telephone line is scheduled before the end of March.

Signage is being provided soon and flooring will soon be installed.

Shop fittings and a hand-crafted counter are being added and stock will be purchased ready for the opening in a few weeks’ time.

A band of volunteers will man the shop, fulfilling the initial remit which was to establish a friendly, local shop run “for the community and by the community”.