‘Dunsfold Community Shop and Post Office will be the heart of our community.’
(Source: Community Share Offer prospectus 2010/2011)
In 2010, the village shop premises came up for sale. What became clear very quickly was that the community wanted to retain its post office, newsagents and grocery store within the village. For many of the elderly and those without cars, the shop has always provided an essential life line. For others, the shop has been an important convenience store that would be sorely missed.
A group of volunteers came together and developed a plan that would keep the shop in the village. A company was set up – a co-operative and community benefit society – working to Plunkett Foundation guidelines. A fund raising initiative took place to raise capital to buy the property in the form of a share offering. Each shareholder could buy a minimum of one £10 share. Enough funds were raised to buy the freehold of the property and enable the shop to be refurbished. The most recent refurbishment was completed in August 2015.
Our shareholders are very important to the Dunsfold Village Shop. Being a shareholder gives you a stake in your local shop and the right to attend the Annual General Meeting (AGM). It also gives you a say in how you would like your shop to be run. Each shareholder is entitled to one vote at the AGM however many shares are held or whether they are held jointly.
AGMs are held annually in the spring in the Dunsfold Village Hall. This is an opportunity to find out how the Shop is doing and meet the management committee too. Shareholders are encouraged to attend and have their say. Minutes of the AGM are available after the meeting and on request from the Company Secretary (see below).
Apart from being a shareholder, there are other ways of supporting the Shop. Please go to the Staff and Volunteers section and see if there is something that would interest you.
For further information, please contact:
Karen Thurston, Company Secretary.
Contact details here.
The Dunsfold Community Shop Association Ltd
Company registered under the Industrial and Provident Societies Acts 1965 to 1968:
Registered number IP031144 (England and Wales)
Registered office
Dunsfold Village Shop
Dunsfold Common Road
Dunsfold GU8 4LE
General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) comes into effect on 25 May 2018. The Shop’s policy can be read here.