A vote of thanks is life-changing for community

THIS award is very, very special for many reasons, but the most important is that it is a chance for customers to really change the lives of their favourite local retailers if they think they have been going above and beyond.

- NATALIE LIGHTFOOT

We really bonded with our community during the Covid lockdown by making sure we offered home deliveries free of charge to people who needed them.

Our customers have never forgotten and since then we've gone from strength to strength, organising charity fundraisers and litter-picking events.

So it was a very emotional moment when I was told we had been nominated as Local Retail Champions by not just one, but dozens of people. I have to admit I cried on being given the news. Running a local store is extremely