A three-generation family bakery on the Isle of Wight has won a prestigious national award for its response to the pandemic.
Grace’s Bakery in Ryde has been commended for the way it navigated and adapted its business during the first national lockdown in March.
The bakery, which was established by the Redrup family in 1997 received the award from the Independent Retailers’ Confederation (IRC).
The IRC is a collective of trade associations, which between them represent approximately 100,000 independent retailers throughout the UK.
As previously reported by Isle of Wight Radio, the family business was nominated for the accolade at the start of the month (November.)
During the lockdown, Grace’s bakery not only produced nearly 1,000 sandwiches a day for the Isle of Wight NHS Trust - after it was unable to keep its cafeteria going -it also supplied local shops with small bags of flour, yeast, bread and cakes.
In the first week, the team also created a brand new website, online shop and delivered to between 150 and 250 people across the Island - for free.
Marketing Manager Sarah Redrup, who is also the daughter of the owners Carole and Ray Redrup, said:
“I think this year of all years it feels really good to be recognised nationwide for our efforts during this time, and especially being the only shop on the Isle of Wight to be shortlisted. But to win is absolutely amazing. It’s been a really difficult year and this really means a lot.”
The judges were said to be impressed by their ability to quickly set up a brand new website and an online shop so it could deliver across the Island.
They said:
"Grace's Bakery is a great example of an independent retailer being at the heart of its local community - not just the quality of the products or the commitment to serve the community in unusual times, but the imagination with which it has done so and its determination are really admirable.”
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