{$inpagemarkup}

Search News

Results: 1-10 of 579


Bira calls for business rates reform and action on overseas imports alongside new government investment

26 Mar 2026

Bira has welcomed the government's £319 million investment in high street revitalisation, while warning that without reform of business rates and action on overseas imports, many high... Read more…

Chancellor's High Street Roundtable | Campaign Update from ACT parent company Bira

19 Mar 2026

The Chancellor held a roundtable discussion on a future high street strategy last week, with Bira the sole voice representing smaller retail businesses. Read an update on Bira's place at a... Read more…

Independent bike shop takes stand against selling or repairing e-scooters with police echoing plea

18 Mar 2026

An independent bike shop is refusing to sell or repair e-scooters over concerns about how they are being used, with the area’s police force backing the call and urging others to follow... Read more…

ACT parent company Bira backs calls for online marketplace accountability over dangerous product safety failures

13 Mar 2026

Findings from consumer rights publication Which? add to calls from the E-Bike Positive campaign to better scrutinise these sites and promote quality e-bikes from reputable manufacturers and... Read more…

Independent retailers warn Spring Statement missed opportunity as geopolitical tensions threaten high street recovery

5 Mar 2026

ACT parent company Bira has warned that the Chanellor's Spring Statement offered no new support for high street businesses, as rising tensions in the Middle East threaten to push up energy... Read more…

Scottish bike shop and cafe expands into bigger premises as council recognises 'positive impact on economy'

3 Mar 2026

A Scottish bike repair shop and cafe has recently moved premises into a bigger unit thanks to a growth in business, with the local council noting the positive impact it would have on the local... Read more…

Local Bike Shop Week returns this May, with independent retailers reporting strong benefits from past events

19 Feb 2026

Local Bike Shop Week is approaching, with this year’s celebrations taking place from Sunday 3 May to Saturday 9 May 2026 - and retailers have highlighted the positive experiences they've... Read more…

Independent bike shops unite for inaugural Local Bike Shop Week celebration

17 Feb 2026

A week to celebrate and highlight the expertise and passion of independent bike shops across the UK is set to be held this May.
Read more…

ACT part of coalition letter calling for consultation on online VAT reform

16 Feb 2026

A 18-strong coalition of business organisations and tax experts, including the ACT and led-by its parent company Bira, has today written to the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury calling for a... Read more…

Government's pub-only business rates package is "poor decision based on politics", ACT parent company Bira says

29 Jan 2026

The government's decision to give pubs a 15% business rates discount while excluding independent retailers is a "poor decision based on politics rather than what is good for the local economy",... Read more…

Back to news menu

Pet Shop owner nominated for award for food bank donations

Posted on in Business News

Rebecca Harrington, owner of Purdy's pet shop in Coventry, has been nominated in the animal category at BBC CWR's Make a Difference awards for providing pet food parcels to food banks.

Pet store

She said in two months "we've done 124 bags, so that's 124 weeks' worth of food".

People and projects have been nominated in Coventry and Warwickshire for the positive impact they have made.

Rebecca, who volunteered last year at a few food banks, said she "quickly realised" that people were getting food, then "feeding their animals first".

She added this was leaving them without food, "which kind of defeated the object a little bit and I thought 'well, there's got to be a way that people could help.'"

The Radford shop owner said: "We literally worked out that we have to put parcels together, so over the course of a few months we worked out nutritionally what would help an animal for a week."

The project is now "in four food bank centres and one hub for social supermarket" and while 124 bags have been done, "it's growing".

She added: "Within two months to get that, it's amazing. But there's 15 food banks in Coventry and we want to be able to supply all of them."

Rebecca said: "I haven't got loads of money and I've been there where I've had to literally look at the price tag of the food, so I know what it's like."

The awards event will take place on Sunday 8 September.

Back to news menu

Useful links

If you have any other queries please contact us.