Thanks to you the Campaign has raised over £160,000. We were applying for a Government Levelling Up Grant to buy the Post Office Business and the building and believed we had a strong chance to achieve this. Then gloom set in as the grant process was put in ‘purdah’ during the election run up and has now been suspended by the new government. Even the last successful applicants from March ’24 have not been paid, so we realised there was every chance the grant would not be available again.
However, we have good news!! Thanks to a donor, who wishes to remain anonymous, we are now in a position to buy the Post Office Business itself without the building, which the Sub-Postmaster, has kindly agreed to.
Luckily, at the same time, the property on Grassmere Parade that traded as Corals became available to lease and we have first refusal. Grassmere is where the original village post office was located, the post office is coming home! This is a bright, airy space, large enough to house two post office counters, a banking hub and enlarged shop. It is still in the heart of the village with nearby parking and disabled access. The beating heart of the community remains, exactly there – in the centre of the village.
The contributions you have made are as vital as they ever were. They enable us to transform the space, transfer the business and finance the Post Office and shop until it is up and running. Costings suggest that in time, without the overheads of a building that needs constant maintenance, this will increase viability. Obviously, we will have to suspend some of our other plans in the short term – for example, the Community Hub, but we’re working on that.
We intend to have an open meeting at St Mary’s Centre on Tuesday August 13th at 7pm to explain our plans in greater detail and take questions. All financial details will be available, financial and legal advice has been taken. Hopefully this meeting will be followed by an open day at the new shop at a later date!
YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS –
Anyone who contributed a £100 or more will receive one share in the CIC which entitles you to a voice and a vote at the annual AGM. If you wish to make up your contribution to £100, we would be very grateful.
If your contribution is £100 or over, you can now decide whether it is a donation or an interest free loan with the possibility of repayments over time depending on the profits of the business. If you would like more details or to opt for an interest free loan, please let us know at info@friendsoffelpham.org or ring 07788846919 and speak to Mike.
Saving our valuable Post Office for the Community was always the plan and we hope you are as pleased as we are. We could not be doing this without you, your wonderful support and your contributions. But of course, if you are unhappy with the new plan and are considering withdrawing your contribution, please contact us on the email address above or ring. As we need to finalise decisions on Grassmere Parade in the next couple of weeks, we would really appreciate it if you could respond before August 12th.
Thank you everyone, now we do have the opportunity to write our own story.
The Directors of Friends of Felpham Community Interest Company
Save Our Village Post Office, July 30th 2024
