Cornwall Farmers’ new Patch & Acre store in Helston will be unveiled on Saturday, July 26, with a family fun day.

Store manager, Mark Cole, will be joined by pupils from nearby St Michael’s Primary School in a ribbon cutting ceremony at 10.30am, declaring the revamped branch officially open.

Cornwall Farmers has been working with staff and children from the Helston school on a mural competition, which will see an illustration from each year group shortlisted and the winning designs painted on the outside wall of the store later this year.

Mark Cole said: “We’re planning a really exciting community event, with plenty of activities for children. We’ll have a bouncy castle, face painting, a rodeo sheep, and for our animal lovers, a pets corner with chickens, rabbits, pigs and ponies.”

The store will also continue Cornwall Farmers’ focus on equestrian safety with a hat and body protector amnesty, where customers can trade in their used riding hats and body protectors and receive a 20% discount off new ones.

Free extra parking will be available at Helston School, just a few minutes’ walk from the new Patch & Acre Country Store at Water Ma Trout Industrial Estate.

The fourth Patch & Acre opening is part of Cornwall Farmers’ £2.3 million growth strategy, which includes investment in new IT systems, staff training, and a store refit programme. Outlets have been unveiled in Penzance, Launceston and Tavistock, with each store surpassing trading forecasts.

The new-look Helston branch will have an expanded internal layout to accommodate enhanced product lines and a large grounds care hub. The outside area of the store will also be developed to create a new main entrance, a larger gardening section and extended farming equipment displays.

The investment is being part-funded through a £920,000 grant from the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership, funded by the Government’s Regional Growth Fund.