Who are we and what are our objectives?

Barham Village Store is run by the Nailbourne Community Store Association Ltd aka NCS. NCS is registered as a not for profit enterprise under the Industrial & Provident Acts and has some 250 shareholders primarily resident in Barham or Kingston.

The shareholders elect annually a management board which operates the business on a day to day basis and has wide powers to make decisions on behalf of the company just as a commercial board of directors. There are, of course, strict limitations and these are set out in the company’s articles. The board of management elects its chairman who in the case of NCS serves in an executive capacity rather than as a mere figurehead. None of the board members or indeed any of our volunteers receive any remuneration for their services or any preferential treatment such as discounts (NB Debbie Tapley is a member of the management board and a paid member of staff).

NCS has three prime objects:

* to provide a retail facility and post office for the benefit of local residents

* to increase social cohesion by the shop serving as community hub

* to operate on a commercial basis with a view to creating surplus funds to use for charitable purposes within the community.

The current NCS management board consists of:

Debbie Tapley, Matthew Lawson (Treasurer), Paul Greenfield, Debbie Ribchester, Karen Martin, Carolyn Hunt (Chairperson), Brian Rayner
Supported by Debbie Woodward (Store Manager) and Carolyn Manley (Minutes)

To achieve our last object a separate company has been formed which is now a registered charity, this company, to be known as the Nailbourne Community Foundation (NCF) will have a wider representation beyond those involved in the shop.