What Is KaDCA?

KaDCA was set up in 2008 by concerned local residents, when the Post Office at Kennerleigh Stores was earmarked for closure. Loss of the Postmistress' salary, together with the threatened reduction in trade, led shop owner Sonia Andrews to seriously contemplate retirement.

 

 

 A concerted campaign, together with the intitiative of Devon County Council in offering a three-year subsidy, resulted in the resurgence of Kennerleigh Stores with a partnership Post Office service.

Visit the Shop page for more about opening hours, the wide range of goods available, and services.
 

 

Kennerleigh was singled out for a visit when the Parliamentary Select Committee looking into the future of Post Offices nationwide visited Devon in March 2009. The MPs visited the shop, held a question and answer session in the church, and there was a public briefing and discussion meeting at County Hall in Exeter that evening.

KaDCA prepared the following introductory note for the team of MPs.


A HISTORICAL NOTE FOR PARLIAMENTARY SELECT COMMITTEE MEETING AT KENNERLEIGH, DEVON,
ON TUESDAY 17 MARCH 2009

Introduction

When the threat to Kennerleigh’s post office became manifest early last year it soon emerged that without the income generated by the post office - both directly and through trade generated by post office users - shopkeeper and postmistress Sonia Andrews would not be able to continue in business.

A public meeting was called by Parish Meeting Chair, John Coley, at which the community set up a small working group to investigate ways and means of supporting Sonia, seeking assistance and advice as widely as possible. This became KaDCA which gained its own status at the first AGM in January this year, when its draft constitution was adopted.

Early Development

In 2008 KaDCA sought and obtained advice from communities who had seen the threat appear on their horizons and successfully kept a shop going (with or without a postal service): the Rural Community Shops (formerly ViRSA) organization, and both Mid Devon District Council (MDDC) and Devon County Council (DCC). KaDCA early acknowledged a pivotal aim, underlined as a priority from similarly threatened communities: the vital need to communicate adequately. We contacted the local authorities and councillors, and early press statements made aware to everyone in the community - council officers and councillors, MP, MEP as well as the media - what we were doing.
 
Even more effective initially were high profile protest walks and demonstrations which were covered by the media. All of this put Kennerleigh on the map but we also wanted to demonstrate that we were not just noisy and determined but also a bunch of local people dedicated - in a responsible and representative manner - to keeping the shop open and a postal service going.

Volunteers

KaDCA knew from the outset that volunteers are key. KaDCA volunteers started with helping to organise newspapers at weekends and it has developed into regular, weekly help with shelf stacking, pricing new stock, collecting bread and very occasionally standing in for Sonia. All of this makes life easier for Sonia but is pretty small beer compared to her own workload. More important: it demonstrates to her in a practical way how much people care for her and her service, and is a token of appreciation for who she is and what she does for the community and how important she is to the community. It augurs well for the future but more volunteers is a constant need.

Grants and the postal service.

MDDC gave KaDCA a contribution towards public liability insurance but when we learned the Kennerleigh community would have a partnership postal service and that Sonia would receive a grant from DCC for three years, it was relief all round – to the extent that some wondered whether KaDCA should not be put in mothballs. That DCC grant is a wonderful three year life line but it is still a lifeline which could be cut after 2011/2012. The evidence points to two immutable lessons to be learned from the experience of others: it is virtually impossible to resuscitate a rural shop once it goes; local authorities need to deal with an umbrella organisation representing all who use a shop and postal services. Parish councils are not in themselves representative of the wider community. At Christmastime Sonia recognises shoppers from eight parishes spending money in her shop - all large rural parishes with little in the way of facilities or public transport.

The future is always bright. One is reminded of Longfellow:

“Look back mournfully on the Past, it comes not again.
“Take hold of the Present, it is thine.
“Go forth to meet the Future with a stout hear and a manly smile.”

Given the present level of commitment by committee members and volunteers the short term future is bright. Before our eyes we can see the volunteer movement is slowly, very slowly, growing. But that is for now. We need to think long. The recession sickness won’t last for ever but we believe peoples’ buying power strength will be eroded for many, many years as a result of it. Savings are dwindling. That being so the way forward for any competitive rural shop must be based on superlative service. And that is why we are confident: Sonia always goes the extra mile for people. KaDCA believes one tangible way it can help her in these difficult times is to develop a KaDCA website to make Sonia’s products and service more widely available and even more attractive.

Already, there is talk of other local businesses advertising on the website. When 2011/2012 comes we want to have done everything possible to help others help us to help Sonia keep going – for everyone in the community. That is the basis of KaDCA’s endeavours.


Note August 2010 - for an update on DCC grants, see the first two "In the News" items.


If you would like to know more, or are interested in becoming a member, please use our Contact page