This is a text-only version of an article first published on Friday, 20 May 2016. Information shown on this page may no longer be current.
WHEN Sam Moore suggested running a village shop in a Berkshire church she had no idea the endeavour would end up in the final of a competition known as the "Rural Oscars".
SamMoore in the village store in the church at Beech Hill.
So, after three years of the Village Shop at Beech Hill being based in St Mary the Virgin Church, Sam and her colleague, Jude Cresswell, were delighted that customers had nominated them for the 2015 Countryside Alliance Awards. Sam and Jude travelled to the Houses of Parliament after the shop was named as one of 13 finalists out of 4,500 nominations.
While they did not win, they were still excited by doing so well in a national contest.
On their return from London they were greeted by villagers who organised a celebration for them. Sam said: "It felt amazing as the nomination was from customers contacting the Countryside Alliance.
We didn't see the nominations but whatever they said must have been really nice. " Sam spoke to the Door as she was serving customers.
"It is really nice to know that we are doing the right thing. "The shop opens every Monday to Saturday and on Sundays is shut away in cabinets.
The counters are on wheels and can be taken away so that St Mary's can be turned back into a church for worship on Sundays. "We sell all the staples, milk, bread and as much local produce as possible," said Sam. The Revd Paul Willis, the Vicar of the Loddon Reach Benefice, said: "Very much an inspired vision, the advent of the shop means that the church is open seven-days-a -week, a hub for physical and spiritual nourishment and pastoral care, church and shop a unified expression of God's loving presence in the village.
Sam, Jude and volunteers deserve all of the accolades that come their way. "