Join the Plunkett Community Shop Network

We are delighted to welcome you to the home of the Plunkett Community Shops Network and we hope that you find the information, ideas and discussion useful. Please use this information and do contact us if you would like further guidance.

Using this Website

Plunkett membership logoThe information on this website is open and free to access, as part of our commitment to supporting and encouraging the development of more rural community shops.

To enable you to make the best use of this site, we ask reccommend that you create a user account which is free and simple to do. Once you have registered, you will receive a fortnightly newsletter from us, you will be able to take part in the forums, and access the full range of resources and materials that are available on the site.

By becoming a registered user of the site you will also be able to share good practice, make contact with other shops just like yours and by this sharing of expertise and experience minimise the need to "reinvent the wheel" each time.

To become part of this community simply create a new user account and we look forward to welcoming you.

Membership

We have now developed a membership scheme for community shops, providing the first opportunity for community-owned shops to formally join together to achieve greater recognition and voice as a sector.

Membership allows community shops to collaborate in the market place and reduce running costs. It provides the platform to achieve strategic input into the services that Plunkett provides for community shops. And it enables shops greater access to information and advice.

On joining the scheme, shops will be given a benefits package that will provide exclusive access to a wide range of goods and services at preferential terms and rates, enabling participating shops to save valuable time and money. It is estimated that the average community shop will generate savings in the region of £2,000 in the first year alone. The current package of tailored goods and services includes exclusive deals for:

  • Electricity
  • Insurance
  • Card Processing Services
  • Phone and Internet Provision
  • Fictures and Fittings
  • Advisory Support
  • Membership of the Plunkett Foundation

The benefits package will continue to develop to meet the needs of community shops, and we will continue to work with community shops to identify those needs. For more details, download the membership brochure.

Why should our community shop join?

The Plunkett Community Shop Network has been developed to meet the needs of both community shops in the process of setting up, and the ongoing needs of established shops.

Membership will offer access to services and information over and above what is currently available through the Plunkett Foundation and elsewhere, and will specifically enable your community shop to:

  • generate savings and reduce running costs
  • access additional information and support
  • become part of a recognised movement of community shops
  • help ensure that advice and support is available to other communities who wish to establish community shops

How much does it cost to join?

Fees have been set at £240 per year or £20 per month. The scheme will also generate residual income from the suppliers of energy, card services, insurance, and telecoms. The combined income will be ring fenced to cover administration costs incurred by the Plunkett Foundation in managing the Plunkett Community Shop Network, and will contribute to community shop advisory costs. This will be monitored and the results published by the Steering Group and made available to members.

Membership is continuous, or can be cancelled with two months’ notice after the first 12 months. On cessation of membership, shops will return to less competitive terms with recommended suppliers.

More information

For further information, and to apply for membership:

And of course you can contact us directly by telephone on 01993 810730 or via email, with any questions you may have about membership.

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