Cornwall Farmers’ new Patch & Acre store in Helston will be unveiled on Saturday July 26 2014 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.

As part of the launch event, Patch & Acre will also host a family fun day promising a packed programme of entertainment.

Speaking about the unveiling, 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 per cent 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.

Customers of the refurbished Patch & Acre store will find refreshed product lines in six core trading areas; farm, stable, pet, garden, country life and farmhouse. And there will be even more on offer for farmers and smallholders with the addition of a new farm services desk dedicated to agricultural needs.

Helston’s Patch & Acre will be open seven days a week, from 8am to 6pm Monday to Saturday, and 10am to 4pm on Sunday.

Cornwall Farmers employs around 200 staff and has other stores in Bideford, Dartington, Hatherleigh, Kingsbridge, Launceston, Liskeard, Otterham, Penzance, Tavistock, Truro and Wadebridge.

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.