'We used holiday money to buy hand gel and face masks then gave it to our NHS customers'

TWO selfless shopkeepers have donated more than £100,000 of food and medical assistance to people in their community since the pandemic.

- Robert Kellaway

Grateful NHS staff and police stood outside and clapped to thank Jawad and Asiyah Javed for doing so much for the frontline workers fighting Covid.

And the couple are determined to continue helping out even if it means they have to forgo holidays.

Their amazing efforts came to light as the Daily Express teamed up with National Lottery operator Allwyn to launch the Local Retail Champions awards, celebrating kindhearted shopkeepers who make a massive difference to their communities.

If your National Lottery retailer goes above and beyond, we want you to nominate them for a prize worth up to £25,000.

Cheer

Jawad, 39 and Asiyah, 38, bought A&J Alloa Road Shop in Stenhousemuir, Scotland, seven years ago, using redundancy money Asiyah received when she was laid off from her superstore night shift job.

Asiyah, a mother of three youngsters aged 18, 16 and 10, said: "When the pandemic hit we had been saving for a family holiday to take our children to Florida. We couldn't go so we just got on with running the shop.