[Fareshares_newsletter] News from Fareshares - August 2020

[Info at Fareshares]

*News from Fareshares food co-op, August 2020*

Late summer greetings from Fareshares!

*Contents:*
- Reactivating the newsletter
- What we've been doing during the pandemic
- Re-opening for service at the door from Saturday 22nd August
- Advance ordering system continues

*** Reactivating the newsletter *******

You may be surprised to hear from us, and we don't blame you :-) It's 
been more than four years since we last sent an email newsletter, and 
that's partly because we lost access to the system that sends it. Now, 
thanks to our helpful comrades at Aktivix, we are now able to send 
newsletters again so we hope you will find these occasional updates useful.

We are sending this to the existing list of subscribers, plus a few 
dozen more people who have been sending in food orders by email in 
recent months. If you would like to unsubscribe, you can do so here: 
https://lists.aktivix.org/mailman/listinfo/fareshares_newsletter

**** *What we've been doing during the pandemic *******

As many of you know, we closed Fareshares for normal shopping back in 
March, when transmission of the novel coronavirus was accelerating. As a 
collective we decided that, even though as a food supplier we were 
legally permitted to continue operating normally, it was too risky for 
our volunteers and users to do so.

Since then we have been inviting people to send in advance orders on 
paper through the letterbox and by email, and arranging pickup when 
their orders are ready -- quite a laborious process, but one which has 
been appreciated and which has helped to keep Fareshares tick over 
financially.

**** *Re-opening for service at the door from Saturday 22nd August **
*

Starting from this Saturday (22nd August), we will be experimentally 
opening at our usual times (Thursdays 2-8, Fridays 4-7, Saturdays 3-5), 
volunteer availability permitting.

For the time being, *customers will not be admitted into the shop, but 
will be served from a table at the door*. You are welcome to bring your 
own clean containers for bulk items which volunteers will fill for you. 
It'll save time if you come with a fair idea of what you're going to buy 
-- we will try and provide an up-to-date list of products that are 
available to buy. Volunteers will sanitise their hands between serving 
each customer. Please wear a mask if you can … and bring an umbrella if 
it looks like rain!

We are sorry not to be letting everyone back into the shop yet, but 
there is a consensus among Fareshares volunteers that we should err on 
the side of caution for the moment. Our decision takes into account the 
lack of space and ventilation in our little shop; the need there would 
be for constant sanitisation of scoops, lid handles, jars, pens, 
calculators and weighing machines if customers were serving themselves; 
and the fact that Fareshares is under much less pressure to open 
conventionally than if it were a for-profit business.

We understand that not everyone will agree with our decision not to open 
in the normal way yet but we ask for your patience and co-operation 
anyway. It will inevitably be quite time-consuming for volunteers to 
serve you, and you may have to queue for a while. We are doing our best 
to give people access to good food at affordable prices in difficult 
circumstances, and we will review how we work as time goes on.

*** Advance ordering system continues **
*

We will also continue to accept advance orders from customers, either 
posted through the door or sent by email to food at fareshares.org.uk — 
please make sure you include a phone number with your order. Thanks!

For comments and general enquiries please email us via 
info at fareshares.org.uk and we will do our best to respond.

A luta continua!

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