Autumn is here and already some of you will be planning for Christmas!!  We have to order Christmas stock for the shop well in advance and this year we will have a good range of seasonal produce, including cards and hampers.  To launch this produce and to give you another opportunity to taste some of the local produce we stock, there will be a tasting morning on Saturday 18 November.  Pop in to have a chat and try out something new.

We try to provide a wide range of produce, covering most general needs. We also try to offer local produce when possible, including beers, cheeses, cakes and bread.  We are increasing the range of local beers, with Suthwyk Ales and Flack Brewery (both Hampshire) added to the shelves.  We already stock award winning Isle of White cheeses, and we are adding a tomato juice made with IoW tomatoes. We are currently reviewing our selection of wine.  If you have any suggestions for the range of wines we should stock please email us a headleyshop@hotmail.co.uk.

We continue to offer locally baked Honesty breads and croissants on Fridays and Saturdays.  If you need to order speciality bread for a particular occasion, for collection on a Friday or Saturday, please phone the shop on 01635 268849, giving us 48 hours’ notice.

With Halloween at the end of October, we are getting in the mood for this by running a Pumpkin Carving Competition.   If you buy your pumpkin from the village shop you will be given an entry form for this.  This will offer free entry to the competition.  All you need to do is email us a photo of your creation, or bring a photo into the shop, with the deadline of Monday 6 November.   Two prizes will be awarded of £10 vouchers for spending in the shop – one for entries from those under 14 years, and one for those aged 14 and above.  So even grown-ups can enter.

We advertised for a permanent day-time shop supervisor in the last edition of this magazine.   The deadline for applications is 30 September, so at the time of writing we are waiting for applications.  But remember, even if we make an appointment we still need more volunteers.  Help is especially needed at the weekends with paper deliveries (using the shop car), and staffing the shop for early sales.  If you are thinking about volunteering please ask in the shop for more information (there is a new volunteer information leaflet available).  All necessary training is provided.  You can email Carol-anne on carol_anne_rhatigan@hotmail.com or Neil on nrhaynes40@tesco.net.

We hope to see you in the shop soon.