Chalford Community Stores has a new home - in nearby Christ Church

A 'homeless' village shop has found a new home - in its local church

When Chalford Community Stores looked set to close for lack of premises, nearby Christ Church came to the rescue.

Now the church is open seven days a week and villagers can pop in to buy their groceries, at Chalford Community Stores, run by a team of around 40 volunteers.

When the shop's former home in the Old Post Office was due to be sold the volunteers hoped to buy Chalford Seventh Day Adventist Hall. But negotiations fell through at the 11th hour. Then Christ Church Parochial Church Council members stepped in to offer for the shop a temporary base.

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Mandy Platt, of the shop committee, said: "This partnership between the shop and Christ Church is a great initiative and we think it is the first such scheme in Gloucestershire. Chalford without its community shop would have been a sad place."

The church will now be open to visitors every day and Sunday shop opening times have been planned so trading does not interfere with worship.

The arrangement will be reviewed and may become permanent.