Since 2020, Somerset Community Foundation (SCF) has committed over £350,000 to five community-owned shops, cafes, and pubs across Somerset, helping to launch and grow these vital local businesses and community assets.
Four of the investments have been made through SCF’s Social Enterprise Fund*, which combines loans and grants for social enterprises and charities, so they can invest and grow the income they earn from selling their goods or services. The awards were made to:
Additionally, through SCF’s new Somerset Social Investment Programme, Stogumber Community Shop has been conditionally offered a £20,000 loan and a £10,000 grant to help fund a shopfit for their recently purchased premises.
This exciting opportunity comes after residents of the village raised an impressive £188,000 through a community shares initiative, ensuring their rural village continues to have access to a vital community shop. 
Amelia Thompson, Senior Programmes Manager at Somerset Community Foundation, said: “We’re really proud to have invested over £350,000 into community-owned shops and pubs since 2020.
“The resilience of these communities to come together and create socially run businesses in often very rural locations is brilliant. It’s great to hear how some of these organisations are now able to invest the surplus income into other community ventures, too.
“These cherished community hubs are the heart and soul of their villages – many of which were on the brink of closure before their communities rallied together to preserve them.
“Their survival and success stand as a testament to the power of local determination and collaboration. And a few of them are now seeing surplus at year end which is being invested back into their local community.”
Mary Nash MBE, Treasurer of Heart of the Village (Stoke St Gregory) Limited, said: “Any village the size of Stoke St Gregory needs several things to keep it alive, including a school, a church, a village hall, a shop and a pub. We had all of these, but in 2018 both pubs and the shop were for sale.
“Times are hard for small shops and pubs in rural areas. But rather than wait until our key village institutions closed for good, several of the villagers launched the project to save our shop and pub, raising over £200,000 in six months, before it was too late – knowing that the community would face the far more demanding prospect of re-establishing two new businesses from scratch, should they close.
“We’re incredibly grateful for the funding from Somerset Community Foundation. Thanks to the funding we’ve gone on to win many awards in recognition of the community project, including the prestigious BBC Making a Difference Award.
“We’ve continued to expand our offering including a Talking Café, accessible toilet facilities, and a Post Office service, and we continue to listen to our community on how to shape Heart of the Village going forward.”
Amelia added: “With thanks to Somerset Council, we’re still offering social investment funding to organisations across Somerset and would encourage any communities looking to take on management of their pubs, shops, or community businesses to come and have a chat with us.”
People can find out more and arrange to talk to the team at Somerset Community Foundation about their Social Investment Programme by visiting www.somersetcf.org.uk/grants-funding/details/somerset-social-investment-programme for more details. Or email Amelia Thompson, Senior Programmes Manager: amelia.thompson@somersetcf.org.uk or call her on: 01749 344949.
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