Banburyshire walkers help raise £7,600 to provide support for vital community shops, pubs and services

Volunteer walkers with Plunkett Foundation CEO, James Alcock (centre), at the Yew Tree pub in Avon Dassett

Sulgrave Village Shop, Westbury Community Shop and Café and The Yew Tree community pub in Avon Dassett volunteers welcomed James Alcock, head of the Plunkett Foundation as he and other community-spirited walkers raised money for Plunkett’s work to support rural businesses.

Mr Alcock walked 30 miles from Oxfordshire, across Buckinghamshire, Northamptonshire and ending in Warwickshire as part of the #WalkforPlunkett walking challenge.

The challenge covered over 1,000 miles and raised money for community groups to save their local, shop, pub, post office, farm, woodland or essential services through community ownership. Along Mr Alcock's walk he visited three community businesses to showcase their amazing work for their local communities - especially throughout the pandemic.

Fundraising walkers are pictured at the Sulgrave Village Shop

Commenting on #WalkforPlunkett, Mr Alcock said: “I’m in awe of the response of community businesses to the pandemic and how they have stepped up to support local people. At Plunkett we’ve been inundated with requests for help from new and existing community businesses and we now need as much help as possible to raise funds that will go directly towards meeting this surging demand for community support.”

With the help of #WalkforPlunkett the Plunkett Foundation aims to bring more community businesses to life and help to transform towns and villages that would otherwise lose their much-loved local pub, shop or service forever. Community businesses have the power to provide local jobs, training and volunteering opportunities, a way of tackling isolation and loneliness and improving the wellbeing of all those they serve.

Mr Alcock said: “During the pandemic we’ve all discovered how important our local communities really are. We want to help local community groups to save their pubs, shops and places that are really important to them. We’re so grateful to everyone that has walked and pledged to support our work #WalkforPlunkett is true community spirit in action.”