Would you like to belong to an inspirational cooperative business that is owned by residents and exists to serve its community? Between now and our AGM on 24th March, we are offering shares to anyone who’d like to be involved. Two of our earliest investors are David and Belinda Derrington, who moved to Ilmington 22 years ago and “jolly well missed” the old village shop when it closed. They became active investors in the new community shop from initial fundraising to the grand opening in 2015. David, 75, can be seen helping in the cafe while Belinda, 72, steps in for early-bird shifts in the shop. “I think the shop is a tremendous asset to the village,” says David, a retired optometrist. “It’s a huge convenience. We had weekly deliveries to our doorstep throughout lockdown.” “Michele is very good,” adds Belinda, who was a primary school teacher for almost 44 years. “She can order in special items you want: for us she gets peach jam and French bread flour.” We’ve supported our residents and customers through the pandemic and we are still here for you. It costs as little as £10 to invest in the cooperative and make yourself a member of our very special club. The share application form will appear on our website later this week. Single shares can be owned by young people too, and however many shares you own (up to an investment of £20,000), you get voting rights and a stake in your community
