At our Rural Community Business Awards, the ‘Investing in Local People’ category celebrates how community businesses are transforming lives through employment, training, and volunteering.
In rural areas, job opportunities are limited and declining. However, community businesses are well-placed to provide diverse opportunities for both paid work and volunteering, which enhance skills, build confidence, and create a sense of belonging. This flexible, people-centred approach is particularly accessible for groups such as people with learning difficulties and the older generation.
At this year’s Rural Community Business Awards, generously sponsored by Lands Improvement, we will celebrate the remarkable contributions that our community business members make to their local people. In particular, through the ‘Investing in Local People Award’ category, sponsored by David Cadwallader & Co Limited, we will recognise those members who have excelled in building confidence and skills within their communities. Find out about these excellent examples that showcase their impact.
Dryslwyn Community Shop and Post Office in Cwrt Henri, Carmarthenshire, is more than just a place to buy essentials; it is a vibrant, bilingual hub that has significantly impacted the local community since 2008. The shop actively invests in people, fostering social cohesion, harnessing skills, and generating lifelong learning opportunities. To safeguard the Shop and Post Office, the community is spearheading an ambitious project to establish a purpose-built “SiopNEWydd” on a nearby Greenfield site.
Despite the limitations of their current cramped space, they host Duke of Edinburgh and work experience students. They collaborate with Autism CIC and charities, such as ‘Elite’ to provide supported work placements for individuals with disabilities or neurodiverse conditions. This pattern is expected to expand in their new purpose-designed premises, which will offer adequate operational space, enhanced digital systems, and a small café to transform and extend volunteer opportunities.
Their collaboration with the village school ensures that the next generation is integrated into the community shop family, fostering strong inter-generational links. They organise activities like Fair Trade week, Christmas tree decorating, and involve children in the SiopNEWydd design through workshops and interactive sessions.
In recognition of its outstanding contributions, it received Carmarthenshire’s first Queen’s Award for Volunteering in 2021.
This short video with Tilly showcases the incredible impact the pub has had on her life. A shining example of how a community business can transform lives by investing in local people.
The Auctioneer Arms, Caverswall
Since transitioning to community ownership, the pub has focused on creating essential employment and training opportunities for local young people. Through apprenticeships and collaborations with the local college, the pub has actively sought to provide roles for young individuals from diverse backgrounds. These roles range from kitchen-based activities to front-of-house positions, helping young people enhance their skills, learn new ones, and boost their confidence.
One standout story is that of Tilly Goodwin, who has greatly benefited from The Auctioneers Arms’ commitment to supporting local youth. Tilly, a recipient of Plunkett’s Young Person Award in 2023, began in backroom and kitchen roles before progressing to front-of-house, where she excels.
Tilly joined the pub after struggling with confidence and social interaction due to negative school experiences and the isolation of COVID lockdowns. Initially shy, Tilly’s confidence grew under the guidance of Terry, the pub manager, and the support of the team. Today, she is a confident and integral member of the pub.
The shop is a shining example of a welcoming place where everyone can contribute. It is showcased through Thomas’s story, which began when Furze Down School in Winslow approached the shop to offer regular work experience sessions for their students. One regular customer, Thomas, who attends the school, volunteers regularly.
Thomas, along with several of his friends from school, spends a few hours at the shop every Thursday morning. These students have a range of special needs, including autism, Down syndrome, speech and language difficulties, and medical conditions such as epilepsy. They take on various roles in the shop, from taking sandwich orders in the café and operating the till to making up bags of sweets and assisting with stock checks.
Check out the video to see what volunteering means to Thomas.
We want to hear how your community business invests in local people!
If your community business is a member of Plunkett then make sure to nominate for the ‘Investing in Local People’ Award category, sponsored by David Cadwallader & Co.
Become a member of Plunkett!
If your community business isn’t yet a Plunkett member, join us today to become eligible for nomination. There’s still time, so get in touch!
