A date for your diary!
Monday, 17th October 2022 at 2pm in the Village Hall
This is when Findon Village Store will “officially” receive the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service from Lady Emma Barnard, the Lord Lieutenant of West Sussex. For full details see our separate notice in this magazine and do remember to apply to Annie Colville to secure your place without delay. Although numbers must be limited we are extending capacity with a marquee and encourage as many customers, suppliers, volunteers and village residents as possible to come and celebrate with us.
And so to the Sheep Fair. We share the anticipation and excitement of so many in looking forward to this magnificent event but sadly this year we will not have our own stall. You will however see some of us helping out as stewards/directors of traffic or on other stalls and our commitment to this very special village event remains undimmed. You will still be able to pick up picnic items, hot and cold drinks, ice creams etc. from the shop itself, which will operate as normal during Sheep Fair weekend – Saturday 7 am to 7 pm and Sunday 7 am to 12 noon. If you run out of cash or require any other Post Office services remember the PO will also be open as usual until 5.30pm on Saturday and midday on Sunday.
We will all be hoping for fine weather on and around the Sheep Fair weekend as it makes such a difference, but wasn’t it a relief to come out of those extreme heat waves in July and August! The subsequent deluges were certainly dramatic and brought their own challenges to many in the village, whether dealing with floodwater or simply trying to decide when to walk the dog. It was great that a number of customers remembered to take advantage of our Free Delivery service instead of braving the elements.
As September moves in, many of our regular volunteers are away catching the last moments of summer and our rota has been under some strain. This may be the moment to ask if you have ever considered joining our volunteer team. Our newest recruits, Nick and Sian, are proving invaluable and are delighted that they took the plunge – they encourage anyone “not quite sure” to join too. New volunteers need not be daunted; there is always a helpful member of the Post Office team on hand to support and we have also introduced “shadow” shifts to help new people gain confidence working alongside experienced volunteers.
On the subject of new recruits, we are delighted to welcome Gaby, our new Saturday girl, who started training in the middle of August ready for her first shift in September. We are delighted to have Gaby on board and are sure she will prove capable, enthusiastic and friendly – a great mix! Sadly, at the same time we have to say goodbye to our lovely Grace, who has only been with us for a year but will be well known to many of you as she flits around with boundless energy and good cheer. We will miss her but understand her reasons for leaving as she strives to achieve her highest academic goals and win an Oxbridge place. Good luck and thank you, Grace!
Finally, a reminder from Helen, our Deputy Manager, that the old style £20 and £50 will be out of circulation and no longer legal tender from the end of this month (30th September), although many banks and Post Offices will exchange them beyond that date. Meanwhile, do check all those old wallets, purses, bags, pockets and piggy banks. You never know what you might find!
Annie Whitchurch