There may yet be hope for Rutland's eco-friendly shop as the team face closure.

On Tuesday 29 August, the team from Rutland Refill announced that the shop and café would be closing.

However, as it looked like the not-for-profit Community Interest Company at 1 Westgate would be closing its doors, an outpouring of support from the local community has prompted the team and community to act.

The zero-waste shop opened in July 2021 and sells groceries, cleaning and health and beauty products without plastic packaging from local businesses and sellers. It also doubles up as a café and hosts regular workshops alongside local groups, charities and organisations.

A spokesperson for Rutland Refill said: "Rutland Refill - Community Interest Company is much more than a café and a shop. It is a Community Hub."

There are five main areas to the ‘not for profit business’:

1. Promotion and sale of eco friendly and sustainability products and food. Craft emporium supporting local crafts people.
2. A café selling quality coffee, freshly made food to eat in or take away and local deli products. The team use local producers to source our bread, cakes, milk etc in the café. There is a ‘kindness’ board so nobody goes without food or a hot drink if they are struggling. Items from this board have also been donated to Rutland Foodbank along with herbs spices and pasta. There is also a pay as you feel scheme in place.
3. A community hub where free and subsidised workshops take place. A knitting group who produce items for local charities.
4. A social Art group. It is a hub for the national ‘Chatty Café’ scheme. There is a weekly drop in Well being session, various local groups meet.
5. A place where we work to support young adults with SEND or Mental Health issues transition back into the community and work place.

As such, the community came together in mourning as the team announced that the shop would be closing in September, many pledging support and funds to help the community hub stay open.

Rutland Refill at 1 Westgate looked set to close in September after two years of trade. Image credit: Nub News.

A spokesperson for the shop said: "The announcement of the imminent closure of Rutland Refill has had a very big impact on our customers and community. Some have been in tears because it has become their ‘second home, a place where they can come and feel welcomed knowing there is always a friendly face to brighten up their day and someone to chat with.

"In response to this overwhelming public response, a meeting took place on Friday 1 September between The Founder, Trustees, staff and key volunteers to see if there is any way we can keep it open.

"The outcome of the meeting was that if the structure of the ‘not for profit’ Community Interest Company changed - was run solely by volunteers - the café, shop and community hub could stay open.

"However, we need volunteers with various skill sets to either become Lead Volunteers to run the day to day logistics of Rutland Refill as well as General Volunteers to assist with various tasks e.g. taking orders from customers, making coffees, clearing tables and washing up, assistants to help the Kitchen Lead etc

"We also need someone to take on promoting us on Social media.

"We have less than two weeks for Volunteers to come forward before our next meeting where a final outcome for Rutland Refill will be made. If there are not enough volunteers it will not continue to operate.

"Who knows maybe someone who believes in what we do will make a generous donation to help us out."

"If anyone can help and would like further details we would love them to pop into the café and introduce themselves.'

Contact the Rutland Refill team on Facebook or pop in to 1 Westgate, Oakham for more information.