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Bangers and cash

From the archive, first published Thursday 9th Jan 2003.

The county's top village shop, Taste Buds Fine Foods, in Adderbury, and top community-owned store Appleton Community Shop and Post Office have been presented with certificates.

The presentations of a winner's certificate and a bottle of wine donated by the Oxford Wine Company was made by Helen Peacocke, food writer for the Oxford Mail's sister paper The Oxford Times, and Helen Datson, Village Development Worker for the Oxfordshire Rural Community Council.

The competition, started in 2000 by the ORCC, highlights the work and community service put in by the county's village shopkeepers and sub-postmasters.

Competition judge Helen Peacocke, who acted as a mystery shopper, chose Taste Buds as the overall winner because it offered a splendid range of local produce.

She was also impressed by the way shopkeeper Rob Babij, above, welcomed customers and the trouble he took to provide what they needed.

The Appleton Community Shop and Post Office, which is run by more than 80 volunteers, was named Oxfordshire's Community Shop of the Year.

Helen Peacocke said it was a superb example of what could be done when a community worked together to make something happen.