The Galleries Shop & Café, Freshford and Limpley Stoke’s community shop, recently celebrated its second birthday.

The Freshford Lane shop, which opened in August 2009, is owned and run by the community, and has enjoyed some encouraging customer footfall in its short existence.

The shop, which was built for around £300,000 in 2009 on donated land, has an average of 245 customers per day who spend on average £5.14 per visit which gives the store a weekly turnover of around £6,000.

Gitte Dawson, who chairs the management committee and shop volunteers, said: “All of this is possible only because of our enthusiastic and hard-working corps of 60 volunteers.

“Our café in particular has really taken off.

“People from surrounding villages have discovered the shop too, and we now also welcome quite a few walkers from further afield who have heard about our shop as a good destination.

“We are very proud of this project in the heart of the community. We always strive to keep the shop lively and unique.

“Every few weeks we like to bring new stock in and keep the store fresh.”

Profits made from the shop are invested in community projects in Freshford and Limpley Stoke.

Last year the store invested £8,000 in good causes for the villages and is now looking for suggestions for community projects to support this year.

To nominate a project to be considered for investment, Freshford and Limpley Stoke residents are being asked to visit The Galleries Shop & Café’s website to submit their suggestion.

To submit a nomination or find out more about the store, visit the website at www.galleriesshop.co.uk.