Julie Kaur Duhra named winner of Raj Aggarwal Award

Shropshire retailer Julie Kaur Duhra has been named as the winner of the Raj Aggarwal Award.

Instituted by the Association of Convenience Stores (ACS) in memory of independent retailer Raj Aggarwal, the award recognises retailers who have been exceptional in community retailing and helping their fellow retailers,

Aggarwal, a leading figure championing the cause of independents, succumbed to Covid-19 in April last year.

Duhra, who runs a convenience store just north of Telford in Shropshire with her husband Joey, was announced as the winner at the ACS’ Heart of the Community conference.

She has played a vital role in her local area, providing home deliveries to customers, leading local fundraising efforts and supporting other retailers.

Retail Minister Paul Scully, who presented the trophy, said: “These awards are a great opportunity to highlight how local retailers have been working tirelessly to support their communities, especially during the pandemic. Julie has been lighting up Hadley and beyond with her charity work, home deliveries and more. I’d like to congratulate her on such a well-deserved win of the first-ever Raj Aggarwal Award, and I thank all this year’s finalists, and retailers across the country, for their vitally important work.”

James Lowman, ACS chief executive, added: “Throughout the pandemic, Julie has gone above and beyond to support her customers and fellow retailers, Julie has made the local community feel like her family and friends. This is a well-deserved award and we would like to congratulate Julie for the outstanding contribution that her store has made to the local community.”

Two other finalists for the award were Nico Ali, who runs Tasa Shop in Jarrow and Sophie Williams of Broadway Convenience Store in Edinburgh.