A rallying call for volunteers has been put out ahead of the opening of a community shop this summer.

Eastern Daily Press: The former Victoran walled garden un LIttle Plumstead which is due to reopen as a communit shop, cafe and garden in summer 2020. It will be run by volunteers. Picture: Plumstead Community Shop LimitedThe former Victoran walled garden un LIttle Plumstead which is due to reopen as a communit shop, cafe and garden in summer 2020. It will be run by volunteers. Picture: Plumstead Community Shop Limited (Image: Plumstead Community Shop Limited)

The Walled Garden community shop and cafe is being built in Little Plumstead in an outdoor area dating back to the Victorian era which has been derelict for 10 years.

Eastern Daily Press: Adrian Nagle, chairman of the Plumstead Community Shop Limited not-for-proft community benefits society which will run the Walled Garden community shop and cafe in Little PLumstead from summer 2020. Picture: Sophie WyllieAdrian Nagle, chairman of the Plumstead Community Shop Limited not-for-proft community benefits society which will run the Walled Garden community shop and cafe in Little PLumstead from summer 2020. Picture: Sophie Wyllie (Image: Sophie Wyllie)

It will operate as a cafe, shop and community garden in what was a walled garden on the grounds of Little Plumstead Hall and will be run by the not-for-profit community benefits society Plumstead Community Shop Ltd, which formed in 2017 and is made up of residents.

The society is appealing for an army of volunteers to run the community hub.

Chairman Adrian Nagle said: "Volunteers are the essence of the project. It is incredible that we have been working on this for three years and incredible that it is going ahead.

"The heritage of the walled garden would have been lost forever. We wanted to hold onto it as a community and enable the community to come together.

"We currently don't have a cafe or village shop in the village, which has doubled in size over the last 10 years."

"Up until now the project community shop and cafe was an idea but now we are saying it is going to happen. People can see things happening rather than people just talking about it."

He added the shop and cafe would reduce loneliness, improve people's wellbeing, support local producers and reduce the number of miles people have to travel to buy groceries or meet at a cafe.

The garden will also be brought back to its former Victorian glory over the next few years and will include heritage fruit trees.

People living with mental health issues being treated at the NHS-run Broadland Clinic in Little Plumstead Hospital will also use the garden.

Bronwen Barnes, a member of the Walled Garden committee, said at the society's AGM on February 22: "If we don't get enough volunteers to man the shop it will delay the opening. Great and Little Plumstead is a great community to get involved with."

The society has raised £243,000 for the build through community shares and grants.

For information and to get involved visit www.thewalledgardenshop.co.uk or email enquiries@thewalledgardenshop.co.uk