Cash remains essential for many people, however bank and ATM closures are continuing. For vulnerable people and those living in rural communities, cash is more important than ever.
At Botton Village, we’ve just opened a brand new Post Office and ATM. General Manager Steven James spoke to BBC Breakfast about why cash is so important to the people we support.
Access to cash
Botton Village Store is one of just eight locations in Britain chosen to take part in the Access to Cash pilot scheme.
The scheme, which is supported by the UK Government and the banking industry, aims to improve access to cash, accepting that not everyone has a bank account or the ability to use alternative ways to pay for items such as debit cards or online banking.
In 2020, Camphill Village Trust made a successful application to the Community Access to Cash Pilot scheme as one of the areas where it is getting increasingly difficult to access money due to the rural location. Once the bid was successful, a team of staff and people supported in the village worked together with the Access to Cash team to decide what resources were needed in Botton Village and also what would benefit the surrounding communities.
