With summer coming to a close it is time to reflect on the progress to date. It has been a busy period, with various meetings taking place to plan not only the acquisition of the chuch for a community shop but to also look at the conversion required. Also it was necessary to create a plan and management structure for the future business.

As you may be aware the land on which the church stands was gifted to the Dioeces by the Packenham family for the purpose of building a church, and a restrictive covenant on the land exists to that effect. In early summer representatives of the Steering Group met with the Packenham family to present the proposal of using the church for the purposes of a community shop, post office and community area. The family fully supported the proposal and we have been informed that they are prepared to modify the covenant to allow the property to be used by the village for a community shop etc.

Some rough plans have been put together on how the structure of the building can be amended so that a shop, post office and community area could be incorporated. The outline plans utilise the existing structure and features of the building which it was felt were extremely imporatant to retain.

Fund raising has been going very well and we have also had success with the grants that have been applied for. The Plunkett foundation which promotes self-help in rural communities has awarded the Community Shop project a substantial grant towards conversion of the church into a shop. There is also an option of a loan, providing it is matched by fund raising to the same amount. A link to the Plunkett foundation can be found on the 'Community Shop' page on the main web site.

It is hoped that in the near future a meeting between the Packenham family, the Diocese and the Action Group can be arranged to open negotiations on acquiring the church.