Payhembury Provisions

I’m sure what everyone is eager to read this month is a nice long article about the complexities of Brexit and how it might affect our village shop but I’m afraid we’re going to disappoint you we’re going to talk about…. CHRISTMAS!!! Take the stress out of shopping and come and have a coffee and a chat while you browse our selection of Christmas goodies. We have plenty of local products which would make great presents like stylish tins of Moore’s Dorset biscuits as well as local cheeses, chutneys and honey and special boxes of Christmas fudge. If you’re looking […]

It may be a little early to talk about Christmassy things in the shop, although I have noticed that we already have brandy soaked Christmas cakes in decorative tins and a good selection of special biscuits and sweets in beautiful packaging that would make lovely gifts. We will also be taking orders for our ever popular Christmas turkeys and geese soon. Instead I thought I would share a recipe for a really delicious warming soup which is perfect for this time of year. All the ingredients are available at the shop of course! Curried sweet potato soup • 2 tbs olive oil • 2 onions chopped • 4 garlic […]

After a summer of salads it only takes a nip in the air or a chilly evening to set us thinking about hot roast dinners, casseroles and stews, so in the middle of this month we will be getting more Tuck Mill beef to sell in the shop. This is traditional tasty Red Ruby beef, which is reared and grass fed by Jon and Libby Carden just a couple of miles from the shop; local food at its best. We will have various joints for roasting, as well as stewing and braising steak,mince and of course the hugely popular steaks. You may think […]

Would you like some money for your village group or organisation? If so we need to hear from you before September 12th. Every year we are required to have a members meeting when we can update everyone with information about how the shop has been faring over the last year and also elect committee members as necessary. It is a time for you to ask questions and make suggestions about what you would like to be able to buy in the shop and generally improve the whole shopping experience for us all. One of the best parts of the evening is […]

Oops, we forgot our own birthday last month, we’ve now been open for seven years! Our main aim has been to create a useful and friendly place for everyone to shop locally but as well as that we have had a lot of fun, made friends, learnt a huge amount (still much more to learn) and have given thousands of pounds to village projects and groups. None of it would have been possible without everyone who volunteers in whatever way in the shop, or without our loyal and supportive customers. Thank you all! The Beast from the East seems a far-off memory now that we […]

This month we’d like to start by remembering Alan Jones. Alan was a loyal supporter of the shop not only as a customer but also as a regular volunteer. He was a very kind person, with many friends, and he always took time to chat to everyone who came into the shop, from the very young to the not so young, and on occasions he even treated us to a song from behind the till. We will all miss him very much. At the moment the shop is full of summery things and we’ve got the weather to match, or at least we did when this […]

The locally grown bedding plants we have for sale at the shop are selling fast now  summer’s here and we’re looking forward to seeing them all blooming in your beautiful hanging baskets and pots throughout the village. More and more purchases at our shop are paid for with a card or put onto an account so we’ve listened to your suggestions and have agreed there will be no minimum spend for a contactless card purchase. If you still need that old-fashioned thing called cash we’re happy to oblige with cash-back but in that case, you do need to spend a minimum of just £5. We’re all training ourselves […]

Everyone likes a pat on the back and we’re no exception at Payhembury Provisions so we were delighted to receive lots of compliments from visitors last month. The Plunkett Foundation (the people who advise on setting up and running community enterprises) visited Payhembury for a seminar with representatives from about 25 different shops; everyone was impressed by how well-stocked and attractive our shop is and they were especially amazed that it is run entirely by volunteers. Most community shops employ at least one paid member of staff so well done to everyone who gives their time to help keep the […]

The snowdrops are out in the hedgerows, the days are getting longer and we’re all getting impatient for spring, but in the meantime if you’re feeling in need of a burst of sunshine, come on down to the shop, where you’ll find buckets of Cornish field-grown daffodils guaranteed to lift anyone’s spirits. Buy some for yourself to brighten up a February window-sill or get a few bunches for someone close to you: a perfect Valentine’s Day gift, especially when accompanied by a nice bottle of wine and some chocolates from the shop. If you’d like to spice your relationship up […]

Payhembury Provisions has agreed to be part of the Devon Link Up ‘Safe Places’ scheme which provides vulnerable adults with a safety net of help and support when they are out in the community by themselves. Any vulnerable adult who is worried or needs help can therefore go to the shop as a ‘Safe Place’ and someone will help them. Our shop is registered with the scheme, which is based at the Beehive in Honiton, and will display a sticker on the window to show that it is part of the ‘Safe Places’ scheme. Each of these vulnerable adults carries a card […]