GREAT ELMERS HAVING A BALL FOR MELLS VILLAGE SHOP

76 supporters and friends of Mells Village Shop danced the night away to a 50s and 60s disco on Saturday 11 August in Mells Barn.  The event was the brain child of Great Elm residents Brian and Sandie Blake who had organised a similar charity event ten years ago and spontaneously came up with the idea of using the same format to raise funds for community-run Mells Village Shop and CafÈ.

A delicious buffet was provided by Maggie Sharpe of Mells, who advised on the setting up of Mells CafÈ and who also cooks there part-time.  Profits from the event amounted to over £825, much more than was anticipated thanks to the generosity of guests entering into the spirit of the raffle along with the auction of a dinner for two kindly donated by nearby Babington House.

As well as organising this Summer Ball Brian Blake had also previously got together a work party of volunteers to repaint Mells CafÈ while it was closed for snagging works in February.

Our heartfelt thanks go to Brian and Sandie Blake for their splendid organisation on behalf of Mells Village Shop.

MELLS VILLAGE SHOP SCOOPS PRINCE OF WALES AWARD AT BATH & WEST

Sir Henry Elwes, President of the Royal Bath & West of England Society, presented Mells Village Shop and Café with the first Prince of Wales Award on Wednesday 30 May at the opening ceremony of the Royal Bath & West Show.

Together with an engraved crystal rose bowl and a certificate signed by the Prince of Wales, David Sheridan and June Costelloe, Chairman and Secretary of Mells Village Shop Ltd respectively, received a cheque for £1,000, to be spent on furthering the Shop’s community initiatives.

The award, a new joint initiative between the Duchy of Cornwall and the Royal Bath & West of England Society, was set up to embrace a wide range of schemes sharing a genuine attempt to bring about improvements to the lives of the rural population in a sustainable manner.  It was open to all communities across Bristol, Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire, Hampshire, Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire.

The judges praised the villagers of Mells for saving both their shop and Post Office and doing so in a truly sustainable way by building a community venture on solid commercial terms. This should ensure that it survives long in to the future, providing essential services for Mells and its nearby rural communities.

David Sheridan commented, ‘It was a pleasure and a privilege to receive this prize on behalf of our hard-working staff and volunteers and of all our customers and supporters who have made this community shop such an important part of village life.’

MELLS OPEN GARDENS 2012

Time to get gardening and set our sights on the fourth Mells Open Gardens scheduled for Saturday 9 June 2012. Not only did we make well over £2,000 towards community run Mells Village Shop & Café last year but takings for the day went up considerably as well.

If you’re thinking of having a go, it’s great fun!  Mells Open Gardens is all about the community celebrating garden making together and nothing to do with competition or scary selection panels.

It’s a great opportunity to show the world your garden and to learn from other people.  We’re looking for gardens from pocket handkerchief size upwards and for kind volunteers (from surrounding villages as well) to help with serving lunches and teas, baking cakes and quiches, selling tickets and plants.  Green-fingered friends could also start potting up plants for the Plant Stall or sowing seeds – stuff that looks good in June, please.

We’re going to repeat last year’s successful promotional display in Frome Library, so please let me have any good photos of gardens featured in past years or in the pipeline for this year.

To offer help, photos or for more information, please contact June Costelloe on 812 199 junecostelloe@yahoo.co.uk.