As we approach the end of 2023 it seemed a good idea to share how far we have come with the Community Shop Project over the last year and how things will move forward in 2024. Whilst we have certainly had our challenges and our ups and downs we are certainly getting closer to our mission to open the shop with every step.
We started 2023 with the news that we had successfully been awarded £200,000 from the UK Levelling up Community Ownership Fund and January saw us have a visit from the Welsh Minister, David T.C. Davies who came along to see the project and what we intended to create for the community.
We then set about to apply for a Welsh Government Community Facilities Programme Fund. This application became slightly more complicated and certainly took a lot more time to get a final decision than anyone had intended. This decision finally came through in mid September after much discussion and debate and we received confirmation that they would award us the £200,000 we had requested. There are still a couple of legal issues to resolve but the completion on the purchase of the Llandyrnog Post Office is not that far away.
At the end of April we launched our Community Share Offer. We had a six week period to enable everyone to have an opportunity to support the project with the purchase of shares in The Llandyrnog Community Shop Ltd. An amazing £51,150 was raised during this period and we now have 313 share holders who all have their individual Share Certificate. Our Share Offer attained the Community Share Standard Mark in recognition of the quality of our offer. Thank you all for your support.
We are very grateful to a variety of volunteers who have been, and continue to help share the load. All the Directors are thankful for their assistance and hope that we can call on the help of more of you who kindly put their names on our Volunteer List.
We have already engaged an Architect and have a volunteer Project Manager who offered us his time and expertise so we can hit the ground running once we have the ‘keys to the Shop’. We have ambitious plans to remodel the building and the facilities on offer when we open up for business. It is still very difficult to give you an exact opening date but will work as hard as possible toward the earliest date possible.
We remain grateful to Rob and Roz from The Post Office for their support and understanding whilst they have been faced with delays in being able to move to their new home. Thank you.
Whilst the extensive work is being undertaken we will, of course, need to close the Post Office temporarily as we previously advised and understand the disruption this will cause for some people. We will try our best to keep this to the minimum possible.
Lastly, we would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and look forward to the day when we will be able to welcome everyone to the new shop, Post Office and community cafe hub.
Wel, am flwyddyn!!
Wrth i ni nesáu at ddiwedd 2023 roedd yn syniad da rhannu pa mor bell yr ydym wedi dod gyda’r Prosiect Siop Gymunedol dros y flwyddyn ddiwethaf a sut y bydd pethau’n symud ymlaen yn 2024. Er ein bod yn sicr wedi cael sialensau i’w gwynebu, rydym yn sicr ein bod yn agosáu at ein bwriad i agor y siop gyda phob cam ymlaen yr ydym yn ei gymeryd
Fe ddechreuon ni 2023 gyda’r newyddion ein bod ni wedi llwyddo i dderbyn £200,000 gan Gronfa Perchnogaeth Gymunedol Lefelu i Fyny y DU ac ym mis Ionawr cawsom ymweliad gan Weinidog Cymru, David T.C. Davies, a ddaeth draw i weld y prosiect a’r hyn yr oeddem yn bwriadu ei greu ar gyfer y gymuned.
Yna aethom ati i wneud cais am Gronfa Rhaglen Cyfleusterau Cymunedol Llywodraeth Cymru. Roedd y cais hwn yn fwy cymhleth ac yn sicr wedi cymryd llawer mwy o amser i gael penderfyniad terfynol nag yr oedd unrhyw un wedi’i fwriadu. Daeth y penderfyniad hwn i ben o’r diwedd ganol mis Medi ar ôl llawer o drafod a dadlau fe gawsom gadarnhad y byddent yn derbyn £200,000 yr oeddem wedi gofyn amdano. Mae yna gwpl o faterion cyfreithiol i’w datrys o hyd ond nid yw cwblhau prynu Swyddfa Bost Llandyrnog mor bell â hynny nawr.
Ddiwedd mis Ebrill lansiwyd ein Cynnig Cyfranddaliadau Cymunedol. Cawsom gyfnod o chwe wythnos i alluogi pawb i gael cyfle i gefnogi’r prosiect gan brynu cyfranddaliadau yn Siop Gymunedol Llandyrnog Cyf. Codwyd swm anhygoel o £51,150 yn ystod y cyfnod hwn ac erbyn hyn mae gennym 313 o gyfranddalwyr sydd â’u Tystysgrif Cyfranddaliadau unigol. Cyrhaeddodd ein Cynnig Cyfranddaliadau y Nod Safon Cyfranddaliadau Cymunedol i gydnabod ansawdd ein cynnig. Diolch i chi i gyd am eich cefnogaeth.
Rydym yn ddiolchgar iawn i amrywiaeth o wirfoddolwyr sydd wedi bod, ac yn parhau i helpu i rannu’r llwyth. Mae’r holl Gyfarwyddwyr yn ddiolchgar am eu cymorth ac yn gobeithio y gallwn alw ar gymorth mwy ohonoch a roddodd eu henwau ar ein Rhestr Gwirfoddolwyr.
Rydym eisoes wedi ymgysylltu â Phensaer ac mae gennym Reolwr Prosiect a gynigiodd ei gymorth i ni er mwyn i ni allu dechrau y gwaith a’r gwelliannau ar frys unwaith y bydd gennym yr ‘allweddi i’r Siop’. Mae gennym gynlluniau uchelgeisiol i ailfodelu’r adeilad a’r cyfleusterau sydd ar gael pan fyddwn yn ail agor . Mae’n dal yn anodd iawn rhoi union ddyddiad agor i chi ond byddwn yn gweithio mor galed â phosibl tuag at y dyddiad cynharaf posibl.
Rydym yn parhau i fod yn ddiolchgar i Rob a Roz o Swyddfa’r Post am eu cefnogaeth a’u dealltwriaeth tra eu bod wedi wynebu oedi i allu symud i’w cartref newydd. Diolch yn fawr.
Tra fydd y gwaith helaeth yn cael ei wneud, wrth gwrs, bydd angen i ni gau Swyddfa’r Post dros dro ac yn deall yr aflonyddwch y bydd hyn yn ei achosi i rai pobl. Byddwn yn gwneud ein gorau i gadw hyn mor fyr â phosibl.
Yn olaf, hoffem ddymuno Nadolig Llawen a Blwyddyn Newydd Dda i bawb ac edrychwn ymlaen at y diwrnod pan fyddwn yn gallu croesawu pawb i’r siop newydd, Swyddfa’r Post a’r hwb caffi cymunedol.
