‘If you don’t ask you don’t get’

‘If you don’t ask you don’t get’

A group of volunteers, including me, called Oake & District Community Shop Project Committee has just been awarded £29,500 from the Village SOS lottery funding stream. We wondered whether we would be eligible for funding: we have no formal structure and no accounts or bank account (we have no money).  

But we have a good cause that fits with what the funder is looking for – saving a local rural village shop (and Oake Post Office if we can) that has existed since 1955.   We have lots of support from the local community. And we made a good case about why we are well placed to see the project through.

The exercise has been a valuable lesson in making applications like this.   Don’t be put off if your group is informal. Make your best case. Substance not form wins out.