Some of you who may have been through the Square perhaps will have already noticed that the Yard of Ale is overflowing. So it is with considerable pride and satisfaction that I am happy to report that we have reached our goal of raising £200,000 in community contributions. On behalf of the whole HOTV management committee I would like to sincerely to say thank you for the contributions that have been made in order to achieve this major milestone.
We will leave the share offer open until march 27th, so if there are still those who wish to join us the opportunity remains open until then
Having crossed this threshold we will now make a formal offer for purchase of the Royal Oak, which is actually a key condition in order to release grants and loans from our funding streams. The tentative schedule for completion of the sale is June 30th or sooner.
At the same time we will also proceed with the formal purchase of the shop fittings, stock and goodwill as outlined in the business plan. This is scheduled to occur at the end of this month such that the community takes ownership of the Shop in a Box from April 1st.
The training of volunteers has been progressing well thanks to the tireless efforts of Marilyn and Ian. While we have a significant core of volunteers, further additions to our roster are necessary if we are to maintain or extend opening hours. Please contact Marilyn Clarke if you would like to participate in this rewarding and sociable activity.
While we have started the search process to appoint a part time manager, Ian has offered to fill this role pending a permanent appointment, after the shop is in community hands. This is a further example of Ian’s strong commitment to ensuring the success of our venture for which we are extremely indebted.
Finally the first AGM of Heart of the Village will be held on June 1st. At this meeting there will be the formal election of a management group. The exact procedure on how this will be managed is currently under consideration. Once finalised it will be circulated to all members in preparation for nominations and subsequent elections at the June meeting.