Yarmouth newsagent's lifetime award

A GREAT Yarmouth newsagent has been honoured with a lifetime achievement award.Ralph Childs, owner of Childs Newsagents in Nelson Road Central, accepted the award at a ceremony run by the National Federation of Retail Newsagents (NFRN) at the Park Plaza Riverbank Hotel, London recently.

A GREAT Yarmouth newsagent has been honoured with a lifetime achievement award.

Ralph Childs, owner of Childs Newsagents in Nelson Road Central, accepted the award at a ceremony run by the National Federation of Retail Newsagents (NFRN) at the Park Plaza Riverbank Hotel, London recently.

The award was presented in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the Federation - a trade association representing the interests of 18,000 independent newsagent and convenience store retailers - and to the news industry as a whole during his working life. As his name was announced, the 330-strong audience rose to their feet to give Ralph a standing ovation.

Host for the awards evening, Paul Zenon, described Ralph as “a true stalwart of the Federation and one who has, by his commitment, enthusiasm and hard work, made an enormous contribution to the Federation and its members.”

A Federation member for 45 years, he has represented members at branch, district and national level, retiring as a national trustee earlier this year. But he continues to serve members as secretary of the Yarmouth branch and he participates actively in local events and for good causes.

Ralph is also a school governor, treasurer for his local crime prevention panel and a director of Citizencard, the UK's leading proof-of-age scheme.

He is pictured receiving his trophy from Rob Groves, National Account Executive of Imperial Tobacco, who sponsored the award.