Heroes of Hertfordshire recognises Dacorum shop owners for supporting the community during lockdown

The Mayor of Dacorum presented a Heroes of Hertfordshire award to a village shop in Little Gaddesden and two first responders on Saturday.

Cllr Terry Douris presented the awards on behalf of the Lord Lieutenant for Hertfordshire.

Three Generations of the Odedra Family Nash, Gigi, Sonal, Raj and Lilly - who run Little Gaddesden Village Store and Post Office - shared a Heroes of Hertfordshire award ceremony with Sarah Gall and Wendy Molloy.

Sarah Gall and Wendy Molloy received the award for being medical First Responders and for organising 40 support cells throughout the village during the Coronavirus epidemic.

The Village Shop and Stores run by Sonal Odedra and Raj Shivraj scooped a Heroes of Hertfordshire Award for supporting the village and staying open throughout the coronavirus pandemic, with the amazing support from their wonderful staff and helpers – Fiona Cripps, Leo Buesst, Rosie Hicks, Richard Abraham and Sally Scott.

The Odedra family and village staff managed to keep the business going throughout lockdown, they delivered food to shielding households, collected and delivered medicines, and managed to keep checking in on vulnerable and isolated villagers.

Sonal and Raj said: "This time has been so tough mentally and physically trying to balance the shop, family life, home schooling, while trying to keep our much loved staff and customers safe and keeping the shop open and fully stocked at the hardest of times.

"We have literally all had to work around the clock over the past few months to ensure we were fully stocked for all of our customers.

"The love and support that the villagers and customers from far and wide have shown has touched out hearts.

"We would like to thank each and ever one of our staff members Fiona Cripps, Leo Buesst, Rosie Hicks and Richard Abraham and our volunteers especially Sally Scott who all played a key part and we could not have managed without them.

"Having this award makes us Odedra’s and all our staff feel so very proud!"

As soon as the shop closed for the night, Raj, Sonal and Nash scoured cash and carry companies and suppliers for food stocks. They then went out to buy goods, cleaned the entire shop and restocked before opening the following day.

Marika Woods lives in the village and shops at the store, she said: "Little Gaddesden Stores and Post Office is the beating heart of this village, and even outside the Coronavirus epidemic, they never fail to support the village and villagers old, young, infirm, or house-bound.

"They richly deserve this award."

Sonal’s 7-year-old daughter Lilly started her own uplifting campaign, posting up daily Jokes outside the shop and raised over £2000 in a JustGiving campaign for the NHS.