About Us

How We Got Started

In April 2015 the Council decided to close the public toilets in East Morton. It wasn’t possible to run them on a voluntary basis but a few residents talked about the possibility of using the building in a different way, and the idea of a Community Shop was born.

A management committee was formed from a group of residents who wanted to see our vision of creating a Community Hub come to life.

Our group is small and we are always looking for new members and our meetings are open to anyone who is interested. We meet once a month.

What Happened Next

A small group of volunteers began to send out questionnaires and they had a lot of conversations with a lot of people. The response was varied but overall most people were interested enough for the idea to be taken forward. The Council was approached, and they agreed to transfer the building as a community asset which means it can only be used for the benefit of the community and not for other commercial or personal use.

How we operate

We registered the project as a Society for the Benefit of the Community which means that whatever money we raise through commercial activity is for the benefit of the community. We registered with the Financial Conduct Authority and adapted model rules from Plunkett Foundation for our governance. This means we are fully accountable.

Our supporters

Over the last few years we have been heavily involved in raising funds for our Community Projects. We have done this is by running events and selling Community Shares. We currently have 200 shareholders and have so far raised over £14,000!

We have also been busy applying for grants from the People’s Postcode Lottery, Power to Change, The Big Lottery Community Fund, Craven Trust, Bradford Metropolitan District Council, Keighley Town Council, North Eastern Horticultural Society (for improving landscapes) and Greggs (for our planters).

Grant money is restricted to spend on certain agreed items. The money from the People’s Postcode Lottery will go towards the business becoming a social hub as well as a small shop.

The National Lottery grant has enabled the project to create two new employment opportunities within the village, with a Manager and Assistant being recruited for the first 2 years of opening in 2019.

The Renovation Work

Throughout 2017/18 our Committee organised the ambitious building development works to transform the old toilet block into a welcoming community hub.

Throughout the whole process we have managed to involve so many local businesses to whom we are eternally grateful for all their help in getting us to this stage.

Our lovely little Community Shop finally opened it’s door in April 2019!

How Can I Get Involved?

Volunteer

Buy Shares

Donate

Our Values and Vision

Our vision is to provide a community shop and a community hub for the whole village, which supports young and old in their day to day lives. This tiny shop will never compete with supermarkets or express stores. It is a place to go to for your daily store cupboard essentials, and you are able buy a complete meal in one place. It is a ‘go – to’ place for fresh food, with good taste at good prices. It is also be a fun and safe place in the village where there is advice and a friendly face to talk to.

We support local producers and use local suppliers as much as possible, and we want to be environmentally friendly, keeping waste to a minimum – zero plastic bags – and helping to reduce the number of short car journeys in the village.

We help the community by being a meeting point if you live by yourself and feel like some company. We encourage walkers by providing refreshments and refill point for water bottles, and (eventually) a loo! We advertise trades people or local businesses through Your Personal Recommendation. We will be a distribution point for some goods as we develop our ideas. We will support events in the village and advertise your event and sell tickets.