Dear Sir,

Now that the festive season is behind us and life has returned to “normal” we have had the opportunity to reflect over run up to Christmas.

Our pensioner’s party this year was a resounding success with many empties hitting the bin throughout the day! The atmosphere was most convivial with Christmas music playing softly in the background. All we lacked was the mistletoe which one pensioner brought along later in the day ….. unfortunately most of the ladies had departed by then! We saw a few new faces in the shop that day and look forward to meeting these people again soon.

We would like to pass on our thanks for the numerous Christmas cards and gifts that we received here at Sibford Stores. We feel proud that so many of our customers took the time and made the effort to include us in their Christmas thoughts. However, one card, signed only as “appreciative customers” particularly touched our hearts, and we thought you would like to share the poem enclosed in that card (see below).

Life as village shopkeepers can often be not only hard work and tiring but at times thankless. However the last month has reminded us why we go through all the grief, those rewards are felt in the heart and mind and not in the pocket.

Yours sincerely,
Terry & Judith

With shoes to mend and clothes to clean
You’ll never guess where I’ve just been,
But if perchance I happen to mention
I’ve bought my bread and cashed my pension –
Ah! then ’tis plain, you’ll know for sure
I’ve been to the super Sibford Store.

There’s Terry and Judith and sweet Annabel,
Way in the bakehouse there’s Andrew as well.
There’s nought they won’t do for the likes of us
With always a smile and never a fuss.

If transport’s a problem, no need to despair
A taxi’s on hand to take you right there,
When first you arrive you’re given a seat
With coffee or tea – to make service complete.
Terry downs tools and makes time for chat –
I ask you, what could be better than that?

With so much on offer, what could one ask more?
Here’s HEALTH and LONG LIFE to our own VILLAGE STORE.