MEET your friendly new village shop keeper.

Richard Howlett is one of two members of staff who will work at a new village shop in Sandford-on-Thames due to open by Christmas.

He will share the work with Oxford Food Surplus Cafe co-founder Beth McAllister to run the shop five days a week.

The duo were employed after volunteers who have run a weekly pop-up market at Sandford Village Hall for five years raised £27,000 to open a permanent shop there.

Mr Howlett, who has been volunteering at the pop-up market for a year, said he was delighted.

The 34-year-old from Rose Hill said: "The first time I came to the market three years ago I felt there was something very special about it.

"A real sense of community has been developed where there wasn't anything like it before.

"There is a wonderful friendly atmosphere and a fantastic team with a commitment to local produce."

Community benefit society Talking Shop, which is behind the new shop, was founded five years ago.

The group raised the seed funding that enabled a major redevelopment of Sandford Village Hall and a dedicated extension for its own projects.

Members now run a Saturday market and cafe there, a knit and stitch group on Mondays, a gardening team and community table tennis sessions.

The Saturday market sells local fruit, veg and bakery goods but the Talking Shop team wanted to give the village more.

They wanted to open a traditional cornershop where villagers could pick up a pint of milk, a paper and a tin of beans any day of the week.

Two trial pop-up shops in April proved a hit so Talking Shop spent the following months trying to raise the minimum £25,000 they needed to employ two part-time members of staff and buy essential equipment – a fridge, a freezer and a decent cash register.

Most of the money they raised was through Oxford residents buying shares in the project.

Now the group has its staff in place it has put out an appeal for volunteers to help run the shop and the regular Talking Shop cafe at the hall.

Group chairman Abi Johnson said providing volunteer opportunities was a big part of the group's ethos.

She explained: "Volunteering is a great way of increasing your skills, gaining valuable experience and importantly building confidence and self-esteem."

In the meantime, Talking Shop is throwing an apple, beer and cider festival today from 9am to 2pm to celebrate all of its good news.

As well as the usual Saturday farmers' market there will be apple pressing, apple bobbing, craft and food stalls.

Beers and ciders from local producers will be available from midday onwards alongside pulled pork and apple sauce baps.

For more information visit sandfordtalkingshop.org or email volunteer.talkingshop@gmail.com.