GOING against the trend of villages losing facilities, Spreyton has seen the beginning of a new venture with the cutting of the first turves where their village shop is being built.

A skeleton of the shop should be visible in the first week of March, the roof on during April, with volunteers moving in not long after to decorate and fit our the shop, with the aim of opening in the summer.

Builder is Les Arscott of Lifton. Funding has come from such sources as the Village Retail Services Association (VIRSA), Greater Dartmoor Enterprise Action Fund (LEAF), West Devon Borough Council, Devon County Council plus selling shares in the shop.

Chairman of Spreyton Village Shop Association Limited is Roo Haywood Smith, vice chairman is Nick Jewell. Architect for the shop was Bill Porritt.

Roo and Nick, plus other members of the committee, visited village shops and community owned shops all over the South West, gathering ideas.

Roo said: "We have been funded and guided by many organisations. We were funded for four days of business advice by the Store is The Core, which really inspired us.

"We really benefited from their advice; we have proved commercial viability. Our village shop, which closed three years ago, was well supported

"Because people missed the shop, because it was needed, we began really thinking about this project in 2008. The first thing was to get the Post Office to open again, which it has through North Tawton Post Office's outreach service.

"Planning permission was granted last November for this site beside the village hall, where there is good parking.

"As well as giving us money towards the building, LEAF is paying for a part-time shop manager for two years. We have something like 30 people who are prepared to come and help out in the shop, some for half a morning, others for a whole day every two weeks or so," said Roo.

Shares in the shop are being sold in the village plus local people donating to the scheme. Nick explained that a Industrial Provident Society has been set up for the benefit of the community. This means, if the shop makes a surplus, that goes back to the community or into improving the shop.

Bill Porritt added that 10 years ago, when a group of village people set out to rebuild the village hall, which had been seen as a "mission impossible". Now Spreyton has a hall the envy of many larger villages.

"A decade on and a new challenge comes to a new 'A Team'. Once again, many said it couldn't be done, maybe even shouldn't be done, but through hard work, persistence and in spite of set backs, they have reached the point where a dream will become a reality.

"The new building will be a fitting complement to the existing facilities of the village hall. Congratulations to all who have worked so hard to make it possible."

• See also Spreyton News in this issue.