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We are aiming high this year and entering the All-Party Parliamentary Small Shops Group Competition to find the best small shop in the UK. It is designed to bring small retailers to the attention of parliamentarians and the local community. MPs are asked to promote retailers from their constituencies and Mel Stride has stepped forward to promote us. Here is his testimony:

The bright and welcoming Ilsington Village Shop is tucked on the edge of Dartmoor National Park in a small isolated community which lost its privately owned shop in 2008.  After four years of work and fundraising the new community-owned shop opened in 2012 with a fantastic newly-built store staffed by a manager and over fifty dedicated volunteers.

It is a real testament to the volunteers that the shop is a great success on a business level, with attractive layouts, great products, many local suppliers and a healthy profit to boot.

 In addition the shop has made a huge difference to the local community, both as a focal point for the village and also through its donations to other good causes in the area. I strongly recommend Ilsington Village Shop as one of the best small shops in the country.

We will find out if we have made it to the short list on 16th Feb 2015. Fingers crossed!

Trouble getting out of the house?

Not feeling well this week?

Phone the shop by mid-day Wednesday and we will deliver to you free of charge on Thursday morning!

Just call the Shop on 01364661788 to set up your delivery.

(£10 minimum order. Ilsington, Haytor, Green Lane areas only. Payment by cheque on delivery.)

The whole village turned out to help celebrate our 2nd birthday with a glass of pimms and a BBQ.
Dennis Presland won the prize for guessing the total sales reached at the end of the second year and he was only £50 out!

We would like to welcome on board Anne Parkinson who is joining the team as Assistant Manager.

He couldn't make it to our Second Birthday party, so Mel Stride, a staunch supporter of our Community Shop from the start, asked if he could come along for a private visit to celebrate with us.
An impromptu but splendid tea party with volunteers and committee members was held in the shop and Mel joined us in celebrating another fantastic year of trading in our amazing shop!

Great news! After our first full year of trading, Ilsington Village Shop would like to announce that £3000 is to be made available to organisations within Ilsington Parish to help fund specific initiatives or activities that will be of benefit to the community. For further information and an application form, please go here. Applications to be received by 21st July 2014.

Extract from the Mid-Devon Advertiser: "More than 20 individuals and organisations considered to have made positive contributions to Dartmoor life in the past five years were recognised in a ceremony at Holne Park, Ashburton.
Among those receiving certificates from the national park authority were Ashburton Cookery School and organisers of the Moretonhampstead Food and Drink Festival.
Ilsington Community Shop was also singled out for praise as was the Gidleigh Commoners' Association for its archaeological preservation work and Buckfast Abbey where a building prokect was described as 'an exemplar of high quality design in a sensitive location'.
Television and radio personality Judi Spiers presented the 21 framed certificates after chief executive Dr Kevin Bishop told guests they were being handed to those who had helped deliver different aspects of the previous DNPA five year management plan.

Starting on Friday 7 March, the shop is running a Craft Showcase Fortnight celebrating some of the fabulous local talent we have in our Community. Please pop along and browse some unique and wonderful gifts – perfect for Mother's Day, Easter Day or for treating yourself, of course!

    We are very proud to announce that Ilsington Village Shop has been awarded a certificate of achievement from Dartmoor National Park. "In recognition of the hard work and commitment of the Ilsington Village Shop group in establishing a successful social enterprise and much valued local community facility." You should all give yourselves a pat on the back!

      Ilsington Shop was mentioned in Mel Stride MP 2013 edition of Reporting Back. Mel has been a staunch supporter of Ilsington Village Shop since before the build was even started. It's nice to know that this free paper was delivered to all households in Central Devon, thus spreading the word about Ilsington Village Shop and indeed Community Shops throughout the County.