Building a Community Together: Dormanstown Farm Shop and Refill Store

At Dormanstown, we’re beginning a new journey to reconnect with our community and make a positive difference for everyone around us. Over the years, we’ve seen a need to bring back a stronger sense of community, especially since we’re located in an area where resources are sometimes limited. To make things better for our students, families, and even neighbors, we’re working on creating new ways to support each other through projects like our very own school farm shop and a refill station!

What’s the Farm Shop All About?

Our school farm shop will be more than just a place to buy food; it’s a way to make sure good food doesn’t go to waste. Thanks to our partnership with Fareshare, a charity that saves surplus food, we’ll be able to offer fresh items at much lower costs for our school families, staff, and eventually, the whole community. Instead of this food going to the landfill, it will go to our community, providing affordable groceries while reducing waste. Imagine buying fresh produce and other essentials while knowing you’re helping the environment!

A Refill Station for Everyone

Another exciting part of our shop will be a refill station, which we’re setting up in partnership with Ecologico. The idea behind this is simple: families can bring their empty bottles to refill with household products like dish soap, laundry detergent, and more. This way, people can buy just the amount they need, saving money while also cutting down on single-use plastic waste. By bringing your own bottles, you’re helping reduce the amount of plastic that ends up polluting our planet. It’s a small action with a big impact!

How the Junior Leadership Team Is Making a Difference

Our Junior Leadership Team, which includes our Head Boy and Head Girl, their deputies, and two community leaders, will be helping lead this project. They’re already coming up with ideas to make the shop inviting, helpful, and inspiring for everyone who visits. It’s a chance for our student leaders to connect with their community, learn about sustainability, and encourage others to make a positive change.

Our Three Big Goals

Our farm shop and refill station will help us reach three important goals:

1. Community – Strengthening the connections between people in our community and improving their lives by providing affordable essentials.
2. Health and Wellbeing – Supporting our residents and school families to live healthier, happier lives with access to affordable, fresh, and nutritious food.
3. Environment – Reducing pollution by lowering plastic waste and keeping surplus food out of landfills.

This project is more than just a shop; it’s a step toward building a stronger, healthier, and cleaner community for everyone. We’re excited to see the positive changes it will bring, and we hope it inspires everyone to get involved!