As part of WACA’s Learning Visits programme, we’re connecting with established community businesses to gather practical insights and lessons learned. These visits help us understand different models of community ownership and operation, providing valuable guidance as we develop our own local initiatives. Each visit offers a unique perspective on what makes community enterprises thrive.
Hesket Newmarket Shop and Post Office
This Community Benefit Society, established within the last twelve months, demonstrates remarkable community perseverance. With over 300 members recruited locally through parish magazine advertisements, a website and public meetings, they raised substantial funds through share offers and fundraising activities despite a major funding disappointment. Their planned operational model includes two paid part-time managers who will overlap shifts, supplemented by 50 volunteers, and they intend to maintain the current trading hours initially (8am-5:30pm, 5.5 days) with hopes to expand to seven days in the future.
The Hesket Newmarket experience offered these strategic recommendations
Regular public meetings are essential to keep people informed
Consider multiple funding sources rather than relying on a single source
Communication is vital
Their model of community ownership shows how determination and adaptability can overcome significant setbacks, with management team members taking on postmaster responsibilities and volunteers offering to work in all areas of the business.
We are grateful to Philippa Groves for her time and willingness to share the Hesket Newmarket journey with us, despite the project still being in development. Her candid insights into navigating funding challenges were particularly valuable. Many thanks also to Vanessa Barry from the WACA Learning Visits team for conducting this phone interview and documenting these important lessons.
