What makes us special?
Fittleworth Stores is 100% owned and operated by the community for the benefit of the community. We depend on our dedicated staff and an army of volunteers for our operational and economic success and we’re determined to encourage and support local suppliers and creative people in every way that we can.
Our business plan provides that profits will be re-invested in the operation with any excess funds put back into the community.
Our team
Fittleworth Stores is run by our Manager Toni and her core team of paid staff, supported by our wonderful volunteers who give up their time to help keep our busy shop, café and post office running smoothly.
Toni
Our management committee
Our Management Committee has Sally Tanner as Chair, Rev’d David Crook as Vice-Chair, Lisa Whitby as Treasurer and Guy Bramley as Secretary. Other committee members include Richard Godfrey, Paula Grigor and Shelaigh Spreadbury. The Management Committee is elected at our Annual General Meeting in January.
Becoming a volunteer
We would love to have more volunteers and would welcome you to join us. You can either be a regular helper doing a set slot each week, or sign up as an ‘ad hoc’ member, where you do a slot when you are able or when we need extras or stand-ins for holidays etc.
There is no hard and fast rule about what tasks you do. If you like the idea of the till then you would be trained on that, otherwise there is always date checking, shelf filling, clearing tables and washing-up. If you felt you would like to learn barista skills for coffee making that can be arranged.
We are a friendly team. It is sociable and good fun, and it’s a great feeling to be able to help the Fittleworth community.
If you would like to volunteer, either on an ad hoc basis or for a regular slot, just pop into the shop or email: fsvolunteers@outlook.com.
Becoming a shareholder
Fittleworth Stores is a not-for-profit venture, investing surplus funds back in to the community. We are a Community Benefit Society with over 260 shareholders who come from our village and the surrounding area.
Many of our villagers (and supporters from further afield) own shares in Fittleworth Stores and we are always delighted to welcome new shareholders on board. It’s a great way of supporting us and being part of our Stores community. If you are new to the village or just missed out on buying shares when we originally set up the Stores why not join us now and buy a share or two? A share costs £25.
The purchase of shares in Fittleworth Stores gives shareholders the right to vote in decisions relating to the shop and café and each shareholder has one vote at our Annual General Meetings irrespective of the number of shares they hold.
For information about shares and the application form, please click on the link here:
Supporting our community
Fittleworth Stores acts as a donation point for the Trussell Trust, our local food bank. Customers have been very generous with their support.
The Stores has provided financial aid to a number of worthy local causes and we look to expand our assistance with other initiatives within the parish.
Employment at the stores has helped school and university students to develop their confidence and experience of the workplace. Several young people first came to the stores for work experience at school and have returned during university and college vacations. We continue to provide regular placements each year from Midhurst Rother College and have also supported Duke of Edinburgh award students.