A FORMER postmaster in Ferndown is determined to keep his shop at the heart of the community.

Paul Waghorn’s Wimborne Road postal counter was closed in October under a county-wide cost-cutting programme by Post Office Ltd.

Now Paul and his wife Heather, who ran the post office for 10 years, have reopened their shop, selling locally made goods for the festive period.

“We had a good relationship with our business customers who would send parcels, and from elderly people who would collect their pension from us,”said Paul.

“When the shop closed we held a party to thank everyone who supported us and nearly 150 people turned up. I was amazed by the response.”

The idea for the Christmas Shop came from former customer Martin Broad, who had once rented part of the premises for his specialist printing business.

“I used Martin and Heather’s post office for eight years. They were very helpful and helped me to grow my business. Now it’s time to help them grow theirs,” said Martin.

“When the shop closed, we were discussing what they were going to do and came up with the idea of offering something different over the Christmas period.”

The printer, whose business expanded from the post office premises to an industrial unit on the Ferndown industrial estate, has provided a range of personalised goods from mugs to mouse mats.

Horton sheep farmer Sarah Wrixon, is using the shop to sell sheep skin and wool products from her flock of 75 Jacob sheep.

“Hopefully, the community will get behind the shop and it will be very successful. We have 2,000 sheep in total, but we’re selling rugs, throws, hats, scarves and fabrics from our Jacobs,” said Mrs Wrixon.

Ferndown jeweller Sarah Coughlan said the shop had been the ideal choice for her hand made products, offering a local outlet for local shoppers.