About The ALL Cannings Shop

All Cannings Community Shop is now a well-established part of the local community and celebrated its 10 year anniversary in 2015. This is a huge achievement for both the people of All Cannings whose support has helped to ensure the Community Shop flourishes and our incredible team of volunteers that none of this would be possible without. Read on to find out more about the origins of the shop...

When the All Cannings village shop closed in 2002 there was some gloom in the village. There had been a shop at the heart of All Cannings since the turn of the nineteenth century. The 'village shop' had evolved through two forms. The first shop had appeared in what was to become the village hall. Its successor, a much grander Co-Operative, was sited across the lane and enjoyed a special delivery vehicle access into the yard behind the shop. With the growth of business in Devizes after the War, trade was drawn out of All Cannings and the Co-Operative eventually closed in the latter part of the last century.

However, all was not lost and a new, privately owned shop was opened facing onto the main street, just a stone's throw away from its predecessors. This shop thrived until 2002 when its owners decided to retire. This is when the fight back started. In the years which followed, villagers tried by every means to arrange funding, administration, a site and staff to re-start the shop as a private village co-operative.

After much effort, two committees, four years, some very generous fund raising within the village, some successful applications for grants-in-aid from, amongst several others, the former Kennet District Council, Community First, The South West RDA, and the North Wessex Downs (Strategic Development Fund), the prospects for a new shop started to look positive. However, without hours and hours of freely given time by volunteers across the village to dig, paint, decorate, wire, plumb, clean, organize, persuade, negotiate and inspire - the All Cannings Community Shop would not have been reborn as an Industrial and Provident Society, under the Act, on 17 December 2005.

Looking back, it is as well that few of the managing committee knew anything much about the difficulties that they would face in order to re-establish a village shop. Essentially, the committee simply wanted to re-create a village focus because they felt it was a missing ingredient. Certainly, none of them had worked together before and only one had any experience of actually running a shop. So, simply agreeing the internal shape of the shop, where to find a cheap portacabin, how much to pay, how to get it to All Cannings, what to stock and at what prices, who to appoint and for what hours, where to seek volunteers from, working out what jobs were likely and which skills were to be needed - let alone who was to be responsible for what or whether the shop should re-open as a shop - cum - post office (always assuming we could still afford anything at all after all of the other planned and unplanned expenditure) were only the start of the challenges the committee faced...

... And then there were the vexed questions about how to persuade customers across the threshold once the initial wave of curiosity had faded and how to sustain every member of the committee and the shop staff's energy and enthusiasm after the first few days, weeks and months into the steady state routine running of the daily, weekly and monthly grind. Then there was the whole issue of stock checks, the 'money to the bank' run, the key safes, the issues of shop security, the maintenance of the managing committee, running the Annual General Meetings, the shareholders, the maintenance of relationships with other village stakeholders in other committees, societies and clubs, and the less than straightforward issues around opening hours, Bank Holiday policy, disabled access, data protection, fire awareness, health and safety policy, weights and measures requirements, staff management, duty rosters, volunteers, sales, margins, purchasing policy, sell-by-dates, alcohol policy and authority, prices, budgets and marketing... not to mention creating a logo on which all could agree and a web site that everyone with access to the internet could understand and use... not to forget that the first edition of the shop had begun life simply as an empty 40ft portacabin. Was that going to be the end of it or was the shop to grow and provide an enjoyable shopping experience for all ages, locals, holiday makers, passers-by and customers from the wider district in the surrounding villages?

The decision was taken after intensive consultation in 2009, within the village and beyond, to extend the shopping floor space of the shop and to improve the internal management system by adding a bar coding system and an electric till. It was also decided to improve the external impression and image of the shop by cladding it and fencing it in to match its surroundings.

That so much has been achieved so far has been tremendous. The shop managing committee would like to pay due tribute to all of the wonderful volunteer support, the generous fund raising from within the village, the helpful and supportive assistance of Kennet District Council, Wiltshire Council, the Devizes Area Board and Community First, and especially our customers. Without all of these people the shop would not be the functioning and fun village asset it has become. Rest assured the shop isn't going to stand still. We have high hopes for the future and we look forward to the years ahead.

All Cannings Community Shop - SAFEGUARDING POLICY

Policy Statement: All Cannings Community Shop is committed to providing a safe, welcoming, and respectful environment for all customers, staff, and volunteers. While the shop is a commercial enterprise and not a provider of regulated care services, we recognise our responsibility to uphold principles of safeguarding and to ensure appropriate conduct at all times.

1. Purpose of this Policy

This policy sets out our commitment to:

• Promoting the safety and well-being of everyone in the shop.

• Preventing abuse, harassment, and unacceptable behaviour.

• Supporting our staff and volunteers in dealing with concerns appropriately.

2. Scope

This policy applies to:

• All paid staff: (including temporary or casual workers).

• All volunteers.

• All members of the shop committee.

3. Safeguarding Principles

We uphold the following key principles:

• Everyone has the right to be treated with dignity and respect.

• We do not tolerate abuse, harassment, bullying, or discrimination.

• Any concerns or allegations will be taken seriously and handled appropriately.

4. Code of Conduct

All staff and volunteers must:

• Treat customers and each other with courtesy and respect.

• Avoid any behaviour that could be perceived as inappropriate, aggressive, or abusive.

• Maintain appropriate boundaries and avoid unnecessary physical contact.

• Be alert to potential concerns and know how to raise them.

5. Recognising and Responding to Concerns

While we do not provide care services, concerns may still arise in the shop (e.g., suspicious behaviour, incidents of aggression, or disclosures by customers).

Staff and volunteers should:

• Report any safeguarding concerns to the Shop Manager or Designated Safeguarding

Lead (named below).

• Record incidents factually and confidentially.

• Not investigate or confront individuals directly.

6. Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL)

Our DSL is responsible for:

• Acting as a point of contact for safeguarding concerns.

• Supporting staff/volunteers in reporting and handling issues.

• Liaising with local authorities if necessary.

Current DSL: Sue Webb

Contact: [home@webbts.plus.com/07765 223403]

7. Recruitment and Supervision

• New volunteers receive a brief induction, including safeguarding awareness.

8. Training

While full safeguarding training is not mandatory, we provide all staff and volunteers with:

• Basic awareness of expected conduct.

• Guidance on reporting concerns.

• Access to this policy.

9. Confidentiality

All safeguarding concerns must be handled with care and confidentiality. Information will only be shared on a need-to-know basis and in line with UK data protection laws.

10. Review and Updates

This policy will be reviewed annually or in response to changes in guidance or incidents.

Policy Created: 25/06/2025

Next Review Due: 25/06/2026

Approved By: Bob Chesson / Chair