Shopkeepers are looking for some divine intervention to help them get through the tough economic times with visits from their local vicars.
Retailers in Blackwood can now turn to their local vicar as a shoulder to cry on as part of a new retail chaplaincy scheme offered by the Church and Caerphilly County Borough Council.
The Chaplains, Rev Matthew Tregenza from St Margaret’s Church and Rev Mark Thomas from Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, have recently given support to staff at the local Peacocks – which last month entered administration – and Wilkinsons.
Rev Mark Thomas said: “As a local church minister it is a real privilege to be welcomed by local shop managers into their stores to offer help and support.
“When life gets really tough, we want to be able to say ‘we are here for you’.”
First started by the local Asda store last year, the scheme has now been extended to cover the whole of the South Wales town, including rival stores and local shopkeepers.
Councillor Ron Davies said: “Asda has already found the scheme extremely helpful as they seek to support their staff, the requests from other retailers in Blackwood for chaplaincy support further endorses the value of this scheme, particularly in today’s economic climate.”
Martin Blackwell, Chief Executive of the Association of Town Centre Management, welcomed the presence of the priests and hoped similar schemes would be rolled out to the rest of Britain.
He said: “I am delighted to see Town Centre Management working in partnership to develop a retail chaplaincy scheme, which provides support to retailers at a difficult time.
“We have shared details of this initiative with our members across the UK as an example of best practice.”