Momentum building to secure the future of Wholefoods Newport

FOLLOWING the very successful public meeting in Newport, Pembrokeshire which was held to discuss bringing the muchloved local wholefoods shop into community ownership, a team of local residents is taking the project forward.

Over 180 people have already completed the online survey at https://bit. ly/WholefoodsSurvey which the Project Wholefoods team launched to test demand further. More than 85% of respondents say that securing the future of the wholefoods shop is “very important” to Newport, and 90% are supportive of a community purchase.

The business plan and funding applications are currently being finalised, and the launch of a community share offer is planned for June.

Project Wholefoods now has a website at www. projectwholefoods.cymru and a Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ projectwholefoods.

The Project Wholefoods Community Benefit Society, team is working closely and finalising the business with the group behind the plan, funding applications successful community and a community share purchase of Havards in offer. So watch this space!” Newport which became Cris Tomos of PLANED, the first community-owned the charity supporting

nd hardware shop in the UK in community share offers in 2022.

Hugh Simpson-Wells, one of the Directors of Project Wholefoods, says “We have been delighted by the response to the project, and the results of the survey confirm that there is a big appetite for a community purchase of Wholefoods of Newport. We are now in the process of setting up a

West Wales, says “Following the successful community purchase of Havards in 2022, it is fantastic to see so much momentum building to secure the future of Wholefoods of Newport as a communityowned shop.” Cris added “Responses to the survey are very encouraging, and I am working closely with the Project Wholefoods team to progress funding applications and the community share offer.”