Award for Telford store which went above and beyond throughout pandemic
A family-run Telford convenience store has been recognised for its role in spreading kindness and community spirit during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Jules Convenience on Haybridge Road in Hadley received the Community Champion Award in the Shop Local Shop Little Heroes awards 2020, from the Federation of Independent Retailers (NFRN).
The store was recognised for going above and beyond the call of duty at the start of the initial lockdown in March by reaching out to support elderly and vulnerable residents in the local area.
As well as providing a delivery service to customers who were unable to shop for essentials, the store has also been injecting community spirit by delivering treats to elderly residents to celebrate Good Friday, VE Day and the store’s 30th anniversary.
Despite the pandemic putting a halt to fundraising events normally hosted by the store, they found creative ways to raise donations for its chosen charities, raising a total of £4,000 throughout the year for Severn Hospice, The Georgia Williams Trust and Children with Cancer.
They have also supported their local food bank and used social media to build an online community to support the local area and boost morale.
Jules Convenience is a family business, run by husband and wife team, Joey and Julie Duhra.
They said: “Our community is at the heart of Jules Convenience and we believe our duties go far beyond managing our store as we have a responsibility to look after and support our local community.
“We would like to thank the community for their support during this difficult time and being patient when being served and waiting on deliveries.
"We have been very fortunate that our children, Gurpreet, Kiran and Ricky have been able to help in store because of the increased demand. They really did work hard, and it shows how family can come together at challenging times.”
The Shop Local Shop Little Heroes awards recognise independent retailers which have gone to extra lengths to stay open during the pandemic and keep all customers, particularly the elderly and vulnerable, fed and safe.
