a story that involves naked ambition and a litre of organic milk… let us take you back six years, to this very week and the launch of Ilmington Community Shop. Gregg Woodall, a kind and apparently unassuming member of our community, resolved he was going to be our first paying customer. “Yes,” he recalls, “I was your first customer and I’m very proud of it!” Dozens of people were in attendance as we opened our doors at 7.30am on 20th May – no social distancing in 2015. All the committee were there and lots of customers too. “I muscled my way in!” says Gregg. “I just thought, I’m going to grab something we vaguely need. I picked up a bottle of milk and went straight to the till. As I was paying for it, I remember Sarah Tremellen, who was chair of the committee, said to me, ‘that’s interesting’, because they were keen to see who bought what. I didn’t realise I’d picked up a bottle of organic!” Gregg – who held onto that first till receipt for years – has kindly re-enacted the dramatic moment with manager Michele Hall, at the same time dropping off a notice for Ilmington Bowls Open Day on 29th May. “I love the way that, after six years, the shop is really emphasising the spirit of community,” says Gregg. “It’s fabulous. The shop is the hub of the community, linking together all the clubs and societies, like the Bowls Club.” Including Gregg’s purchase, we took an impressive £1,127.77 on our first day of trading. And it all started with a litre of organic milk…
