VILLAGE shops play a key role as vital community hubs at the heart of local communities.

A dedicated and united community spirit in Humshaugh has seen the village overcome numerous fears of the closure of its services.

It is that same togetherness that has seen the community thrive at a time of national crisis.

Local steering group Humshaugh Community Ventures Limited sprung into action in March to help out.

“The first thing we did as a village was to set up a Covid-19 response team that included the parish council, the church and local residents,” director, Dick Moules, said.

“We decided that the shop should be at the centre of it all.”

Humshaugh Village Shop, which was once threatened with closure, celebrated its 10th anniversary last year and continues to be a vital lifeline for the local area.

As shoppers throughout the UK rushed to by essential items the village shop saw an increase in demand for hand sanitiser, toilet roll, flour, yeast and icing sugar.

“As a group we sent out a flyer to everybody in the village and we have a dedicated phone line that I have been manning,” Mr Moules explained.

“We also produced a window sign that anybody could put up to let others know they were shielding.”

During the height of lockdown sales doubled as queues of people would line up outside the shop.

With around 75 volunteers working together, Dick said: “We had an army of people in the village who were delivering to people’s homes.

“We had our normal 50 volunteers and when I asked for more we were overwhelmed with more people willing to help out.

“We needed all the help we could get so it was a great response from the village.

“I don’t know how the village would have managed without the shop.”

However the shop has had to introduce social distancing to limit the number of people inside the at a time.

Dick added: “What is missing is that people cannot come in and have a chat like we used to be able to.”

A fortunate coincidence saw the store purchase a card machine earlier this year and began taking cashless payments for the first time.

The dramatic increase in profits has seen the community group direct funds elsewhere in the local area.

Dick said: “We’re giving some of the extra profit to disadvantaged families and have given away a couple thousand pounds to villagers.”