Michael Fitzpatrick and Kenny Mackay
A small village shop’s funding bid to buy a delivery van has beaten its own target after its internet appeal went global.
Shawbost Shop's crowd funding total reached £8,260 by Saturday's closing date.
Delighted store owner, Michael Fitzpatrick, thanked donors, saying van will be of enormous benefit to the community.
A few weeks ago he had never heard of the crowd-
In March, Mr Fitzpatrick used his own cash to set up a village shop for the Shawbost community on the west coast of Lewis.
Seeing Stornoway supermarkets ferrying groceries to the village made him wish he could afford a small van to make home deliveries to the elderly, infirm and people without transport around the district.
He said high street banks would just “laugh” at struggling businesses like his.
So when the internet crowdfunding idea was explained to him, he and shop assistant
Kenny Mackay posted a self-
It took off big time and with thousands watching the videos of the comic conversations between the Shawbost duo.
Inundated by support from people around the world, pledges now stand well over the £5000 target and Mr Fitzpatrick will borrow cash to make up the cost of the vehicle.
He reckons he will receive 55% of the total after the website fees and paying for the incentives offered to donors in exchange for cash.
Rewards for pledges include Christmas hampers and Hebridean hoodies.
One bidder who donated £600 will get a free self catering holiday in Lewis.
The 46-
Mr Fitzpatrick said it would "offer an alternative to the big supermarket chains who send several vans to the area every day.“
He told viewers Shawbost is a “small rural community with a big heart” and the recently opened shop has “become a vital community link.
“But having started with no grants and no funding or financial assistance of any sort, we want to take it to the next level. We are building the business bit by bit.
“Tesco and other big supermarkets, currently send several delivery vans to the area each day. We are not in any way saying people should not shop at Tesco and others because we all do.
“However, it seems like unfair competition to us. Imagine if we were to put a mobile shop outside Tesco. I think their vast resources would mean we would be contacted by their legal team very quickly.”
Village shop van internet appeal delivers
19 October 2015
