National Lottery operator, Allwyn, has today announced that Coldean Convenience in Brighton and Londis Solo Convenience Store in Glasgow have been crowned National Winners at its Local Retail Champions awards event.
Both retailers have been awarded £5,000 cash and a Social Value store makeover worth up to £20,000. In a special ceremony at the Hilton Wembley yesterday (Wednesday), the two National Winners and 16 Regional Winners – who were each awarded £5,000 cash – picked up their Local Retail Champions awards, made from recycled National Lottery Scratchcards. Additionally,102 runners-up will receive £100 cash.
Launched in September, Allwyn’s very first Local Retail Champions campaign – funded by its Social Value Fund – asked the UK public to nominate National Lottery retailers who go above and beyond to support their local community. Almost 1,000 stores were nominated.
Coldean Convenience, run by Raj and Manish Suchak, was selected as a National Winner for a variety of community-focused work, including creating a safe space for those who need it, donating generously to local food banks and providing all the food for a local school’s breakfast club and fundraising for the local cat shelter.
Manish Suchak said: “To know our wonderful customers voted for us gives us tremendous pleasure. It’s a very supportive community in general, so anything we’re doing is just repaying that kindness. I’m now giving some thought to how we can spend the store makeover money, it’s such a lovely thing to be able to spend £20,000 to benefit my customers.”
Londis Solo Convenience Store, owned by Natalie and Martin Lightfoot, took home the other national prize for going that extra mile for their community, including organising charity fundraising events and local litter-picking activities, and providing a home delivery service for those who need it.
Natalie Lightfoot said: “I’m so proud of my shop, I joke that it’s my fourth child. It’s lovely when other people recognise something you’re so passionate about.”
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