‘I saved my local shop from closing – now it’s a village hub’
Helen Keron, 41, lives in New Galloway, Scotland, with her husband, Toby, and children, Noah, eight, and Sanna, six.
‘Nothing makes me happier than a queue in my village shop, whether it’s children choosing sweets after school or older residents buying newspapers. If it wasn’t for all the villagers working together, we wouldn’t have a shop to go to, or a happy and thriving community.
I moved to the remote village of New Galloway in the south west of Scotland 10 years ago, when Toby and I decided we wanted a fresh start and a different pace of life. I’d been working as an oil engineer in Aberdeen and I gave up my job when I had my second child.
Set among beautiful rolling hills, the village proved to be a complete change of lifestyle, and I loved it. The heart of the community was a solitary little shop selling a few groceries. But it had been up for sale for years and the lovely couple who ran it were about to retire.
Aware that an important part of the village would be lost if the shop closed, I had an idea. We could source some funding, buy the property and turn it into a shop for the whole community.
When I told friends and neighbours about my plan, they thought it was a great idea. So, with me appointed as project manager, a group of us set to work three years ago, trying to get the grants needed to keep the shop open.
We applied for funding and our plan grew. As well as a community shop, we would create two flats to be let out. We’d also employ a community worker to bring the whole village together and rejuvenate its economy, while supporting the more vulnerable people living here.
Attending meetings, writing letters and speaking to residents involved a lot of work but, in April this year, we learned we’d been awarded over £800,000 from the National Lottery’s Big Lottery Funding. We were all thrilled, but the condition was that we had to raise £20,000. Since there are only 450 villagers, I wondered if it would be possible.
But, after launching a share offer,
where residents could buy shares in the new shop for as little as £10 each, we easily managed to beat the target. The great thing was that the fundraising really brought the community together. In little Scottish villages like ours, people get used to things being taken away, such as the local post office. This time, we were getting something back. There was a real buzz about the place, as people began to believe that they had the power to change things.
In July this year, we took on full ownership of the shop. It will have a refit in the new year and we’re planning to sell as much local produce as possible. And if people want to donate the veg they’ve grown, they can bring that to the shop, too, knowing it will be enjoyed and appreciated by everyone.
This community spirit has since seen other schemes pop up. A duo of “guerrilla gardeners” flower-bombed the high street, placing planters filled with bright flowers outside every single house. Meanwhile, the town hall organised an “antiques roadshow”.
I’ve made so many new friends since I moved to the town, but the best thing is seeing how everyone has embraced village life. Everybody wants it to look the best it can and people say it’s great that we’ve all got to know each other. On one occasion, an elderly person was taken to hospital just in time because someone noticed they weren’t following their usual routine. We look out for each other, just like the communities in days gone by.’