A small business in Llanidloes has received major recognition across the UK for the services it provides to the local community.

Woosnam & Davies News has made it onto the Independent Achievers Academy (IAA) top 100 best independent retails stores in the UK and Ireland. This is the 12th year the store has made it onto the list.

The store’s owner, Trudy Davies, said: “We are delighted to have made this very strenuous process of reaching the top 100 again this year.

“It always amazes us to see our shop on the list, we must be keeping up with all the wonderful retailers in the UK and Ireland to gain recognition again.”

The IAA isn’t the only organisation recognising the work of the small town newsagent. The Welsh Government included Woosnam & Davies as a case study in their 2023 Retail Action Plan which highlights the many community projects the store has run over the years, such as installing Wales’ first 24/7 bleed control kit.

The action plan looks to understand the role of businesses in Welsh communities, and how they contribute to the growth of towns and the communities within them. Research and interviews for the plan were carried out by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) Wales.

Ben Cottam, who interviewed Ms Davies on FSB Wales’ behalf, said: “These businesses aren’t just businesses that we purchase goods from, they’re integral to the community.

“Woosnam & Davies is representative of small businesses who have really, really stepped up in recent years.

“The store offered home deliveries in the pandemic, opportunities for charitable giving, they installed bleed packs and defibrillators around the town and now have a recycling point for vapes.”

Ms Davies said: “We don’t just sell things, we are part of the community. We’re the ones that notice if someone has fallen over, or hasn’t been seen for a few days. We’re more than just a shop.”