Community – we’re giving back
As a Community Shop we are very proud that we have been able to support local projects from our surplus funds since 2020. Some of these are shown here.
If you would like to apply for funding for a local charitable or community cause or project, please see below for details.
LOCAL FOOD BANKS
Please give generously to our monthly collection for the local food bank in Gillingham. On the first weekend of every month, you'll find our wheelbarrow outside the shop, ready to be filled with essential items - from any shop. These are added to the collection made at Church Farm Dairy.
We try not to waste anything. Food that we can no longer sell, but which is perfectly usable, is taken to Father's House in Shaftesbury who run an Open Fridge and coffee bar.
SEMLEY PRIMARY SCHOOL
£3,000 to create a new library.
£3,000 to create fencing for staff car parking and child safety.
£1,500 to fence the edge of the grounds.
SEMLEY VILLAGE HALL
£3,000 to make it Covid safe and £3,000 towards installing state-of-the-art AV equipment for musicians and enabling the new Semley Film Club, started in 2022.
ST LEONARD’S CHURCH
£6,000 towards upkeep during Covid times.
COMMUNITY EVENTS
£3,000 to support launching our fabulous Music festival on Church Green in June 2022 and £3,000 to fund the even larger event in 2023.
£400 to support The Benett Arms and a fun village fireworks show for 5th Nov 2022 and £600 for the fireworks in 2023.
WILDLIFE
£300 for swift boxes and a caller in the Church tower plus £100 for bird boxes in the Churchyard
WILD-FLOWERING
£450 to buy seeds to wildflower behind the school - which the school children sowed to great effect in 2022 and 2023.
LOCAL UKRAINIAN REFUGEES
Lots of free marshmallows for roasting on the campfire and £300 to support a local summer camp for Ukrainian children and their parents.
LOCAL FOOTPATHS
Matched funding of £1,500 to help install new gates on the local footpaths
LOOKING FOR FUNDING LOCALLY?
The Committee has agreed that any surplus should be divided between lowering margins on products for our customers, saving for shop improvements and unforeseen disasters and, as much as possible, donating to support village and local projects and initiatives. Funds are now more limited so smaller donation requests will be more likely to be approved.
We are especially interested in supporting eco/green projects and village community events, but anything and everything can be considered.
Process of application
In the first instance please send an email to info@semleyvillagestores.co.uk outlining your project, plans and requirement for funds. Please also add as many other details as you can – financial and otherwise. Please click here for more details on applications.
Assessment of applications
All requests for funding will be considered seriously by the Committee, which meets monthly (but also communicates by email). A majority verdict is required for support. We look forward to hearing from you.