GAME CHANGING WINS
GET INSPIRED ABOUT COMMUNITY

Independent convenience stores are not just located at the heart of their communities; they are often the heartbeat of them. Local customers genuinely appreciate and respect these stores, and many feel a strong desire to support and protect them.

Being embedded in the local community is frequently cited by established retailers as a key driver of success. Many also note that active community involvement is not only beneficial for business, but deeply rewarding.

So, what can you do as a retailer to ensure you are truly engaged with your local community?

In 2025 Cadbury ran a competition: Cadbury Game Changers, asking retailers to share their best community initiatives with other independent retailers.

Here is a summary of these ideas to offer help and inspiration to other retailers.

For ease we have split:

• General Hints and Tips on community engagement
• Instore ideas
• Outside the store

Meet some of our winners from our competition:

We selected 30 winning retailers all making a big difference in their communities, some of our top prize winners were:

Debbie Gale of Siop y Pentre Cyf, Llanfair Talhaiarn said: “It’s lovely to be recognised for the work we do in the community, but it’s just what we do as part of our day-to-day activity. We check in on customers if they have not been to the store when expected, when there was a water issue in the village, we went out of the area to get water in and distributed it to villagers. We’ve supported local community projects, for example when there was a vegetation issue locals clubbed together to form a working party, and we supported by providing refreshment for everyone working on the project.

“We also support a charity close to our hearts, The Lily Foundation after our great niece Isla passed aged 10 months with Mitochondrial disease. As a team of family and friends we have raised over £16,000 and some of the prize money will contribute to the fund as well as help pay for some new windows.”

Talha Bhattay of Mibsons Service Station, West Bromwich said: “I am so happy to receive this competition prize for our community work. It really is lovely to be recognised. Community is what we do, we consider ourselves part of the community and we really try to look after our locals, particularly the older community, we deliver to them, check on them and are happy to just have a chat. Supporting the community also means we are supported too, it’s really vital to be part of the community, it makes our business what it is.”

Koshia Jose of Lifestyle, Andover said:“At our store we really enjoy helping our local community- a little help goes a long way in helping to develop great relationships with our customers, we have known many of our customers for many years. I even share my telephone number with customers so if they need help, they can call me. In turn customers have helped and supported the store, I’ve had amazing support from them. A local even came to help me when the store alarm went off at 2:00am in the morning!”

Mike Sohal of Dallam Stores, Warrington said: “Community isn’t just a word to us – it’s how we live, every single day. Our store team is deeply involved in the community, not just financially, but physically too. Through our amazing MADL charity, we’ve donated over £50,000 to local causes. In January, when Warrington flooded, we went door to door checking on elderly residents, offering hot food and drinks. One man – a double amputee – had been stuck in his wheelchair for 6 hours. We helped him and made sure he had a hot meal by his side.

“We support many brilliant local projects, including a workshop where adults with autism gain life skills through bike repairs, woodwork, and gardening. Every June, we take local families facing hardship on a trip to Blackpool. We also support families with school uniform vouchers – something we do every year. In winter, we cook and feed homeless people and support Warrington Youth Zone’s Santa Sleigh. We’ve also opened our doors to local councilors to hold surgeries in-store.”

General Hints and Tips on community engagement

1. Focus on activities and things you care about or enjoy- that way you’ll be more passionate and enthusiastic and likely to be more invested in the activity.
2. Ask staff what’s important to them, and if they want to support any local initiatives or charities – that way the whole team is more likely to be engaged.
3. There may be lots of things you want to do – focus on a few things so you have more impact
4. Look at what’s nearby: Clubs, schools, local press are all good sources of ideas
5. Listen and ask locals and shoppers where help is required locally
6. Speak to the local council about local events and charities and ask if there are things they need help with.
7. Be ware of national campaigns you could trap into – for example Children in Need
8. While it’s important to be make sure your community commitment is heartfelt it’s also important to let the community know what you are doing, it helps build loyalty and it may lead to further support.
9. If you are giving something with a charity or local organisation consider holding a presentation or event in your store, record it with permission of those taking part by taking a picture or making a video and consider inviting the local press and suppliers

Instore ideas

1. Have a locals notice board for customers to use
2. Be the hub of the community. Allow customers / groups of customers to hold meetings in the store. One retailer told us they hold a Monday coffee morning for retired man in their store once a week. Or run an event night in your store.
3. Run demonstrations in the store, you could use ingredients from the store to make something.
4. Hold council meetings in store
5. Offer holiday meal support for kids who usually get free school meals
6. Buy one: Give one schemes – allow customers to buy something for less fortunate or offer bread to those in need
7. Raise money for charities through instore raffles and collections- get prizes from store stock and or local businesses. Think about timing to co-inside with national events like Children in Need.
8. Offer work experience to young people
9. Could you offer a translation service for locals?
10. Offer educational sessions in store on categories you sell – ask manufacturers for help
11. Create an event outside store – e.g. Tractor pulling competition as one retailer suggested
12. Offer food parcels for deserving members of the community
13. Have a place where customers can donate things and those struggling can take from, without fear of being watched. You could, as one store has done, collect things to help others – one example was a ‘ warm and cheer ‘ collection, where a store collected scarves, hats etc for homeless
14. Have a charity day or gift day – and create an event of it
15. Rember your customers names
16. ‘Meal for a mate’- For every ‘x’ sold a store donated a meal voucher to someone in need
17. Have a ‘Made local’ display or area- support local business and they will support you.
18. Create a place for locals to have a chat and make time listen to customers
19. Create ‘essential ‘packs for those that need them.
20. Be a distribution point for tickets to local events or other things that need to be distributed locally
21. Pay as you feel offers- for gifting to others – so people buy a little extra to help a cause you are working on or add a small % on fuel to help charity / local causes ‘ Fuel for good’ – this could be done periodically or on a longer term basis
22. Charity box by till – change it regular and communicate when you hit specific targets
23. Have an event night in your store
24. Co -ordinate a Toy give away for local children
25. Pay it forward schemes
26. Lead a campaign for locals – one winner led a campaign for a zebra crossing
27. Create entertainment with a skill you or staff have- for example paying a musical instrument!

Outside the store

1. Organise a trip for less well-off shoppers
2. Sponsor a local teacher to take a course
3. Work with local foodbanks to help feed locals in need
4. Support local good causes and events, including schools and charities
5. Have a stall at local events
6. Sell your ‘to go’ food at local events- give % to charity or perhaps provide machines or food at local events
7. Support local sports teams- ask them what they need
8. Organise clean-ups in the local areas- litter picking nearby, in the parks etc – make your store the starting point, donate bags and disposables
9. Sponsor community tutoring programme for those that need it
10. Support free tech workshops for older community members and job seekers
11. Do door to door checks in bad weather or other emergencies and also to those who have suddenly stop coming in
12. Help others create ads on social media – you are experts in many cases
13. Collect and distribute prescription for elderly and less mobile
14. Sponsor the local schools staff room with milk or treats
15. Organise activities for local teenagers that help others and incentive them with something you sell
16. Pay for books at the local school