THE Anglia Co-operative Travel team at Beccles know the route to success – they’ve just scooped the Society’s travel branch of the year accolade for the fourth time.

They beat off 13 other branches across east and north-east England to land the prestigious award, which recognises team effort, customer service and local community activities.

It’s also the fifth time that branch manageress, Teresa Bailey-Green, has claimed the title, having won it once when she was manageress of the Society’s Lowestoft branch.

She said: “We’re extremely proud to have won this award for the fourth time at Beccles and it’s a reflection of all of the great work the team has put in here.”

During the year the branch – based in the Beales department store in Smallgate – staged a Christmas toys appeal for the Help An East Coast Child Charity, collected Easter eggs for children in the James Paget University Hospital at Gorleston and staged a travel show at the Waveney House Hotel in Beccles.

Anglia Co-operative specialist retail group manager Paul Dale said: “Teresa and her team have demonstrated exceptional customer service, enthusiasm and community support during the year. To win this hotly-contested award four times is a tremendous effort by the branch.”

* Branch manageress Teresa Bailey-Green (second right) with colleagues Gemma Wallace (second left), Mary Armstrong (first left) and Sam Buckley (first right) with their prestigious certificate and trophy.

THEY’RE jumping for joy at the Bushmead Primary School in Eaton Socon.

The 177 youngsters at the school now have an adventure trail – thanks to a helping hand from the nearby Anglia Co-operative foodstore and local company who raffled a free Bristan shower for the cause.

The store helped to raise around £2,000 towards the £4,000 project and ensure it’s ready for use barely a year after the school council first came up with the idea.

Head Mrs Linda Young said: “The older pupils wanted more activities at playtime and lunchtime and the younger pupils will also have access to the trail during PE and outdoor games sessions.

“It would not have been possible without the fantastic support from the Anglia Co-operative store at Eaton Socon.

“We expected it to take much longer to reach our £4,000 goal – but with the input from the store we’re thrilled to have it so soon.”

Store community champion Katie Paton said: “It’s great the school has the adventure trail so soon. We’re so proud that we’ve been able to make such a difference thanks to our customers’ generous support of our fun day, bag-packing and other fundraisers.”

* Delighted Bushmead youngsters are pictured trying out the new adventure trail.

WENDY Walker’s lucky streak continued – with her latest win a trolley dash in a competition in the Yarmouth Mercury newspaper sponsored by the Anglia Co-operative foodstore at Bradwell.

Wendy, from Gorleston, regularly enters competitions – and her prize dash at the Burgh Road store was the latest in a string of successes.

Mrs Walker said: “I have won holidays and short breaks in the past and we have a short break coming up in Suffolk that I won – but it’s the first time I’ve won a trolley dash.

“As I’m 66 and not very good at running my partner did it. He filled two trolleys with over £131 worth of goods. It was a lovely surprise and it will take us weeks to get through all of the shopping!”

Wendy gave the shopping task to her partner, Terry Crabb (52) and she admitted: “He did very well - when you consider how long it takes to do a normal shop he grabbed a lot in just two minutes.”

* Wendy Walker is pictured at the tills with her prize shop and store manager Graeme Clegg.

KIND-hearted Anglia Co-operative shoppers have helped a family a step nearer to potentially life-saving treatment for a six-year-old boy.

Folksworth youngster Jamie Andrews has a life-threatening rare blood disorder and his family are looking to raise around £13,000 for treatment that could lead to a cure.

A special fundraising day at the Anglia Co-operative foodstore in nearby Yaxley has bagged £319 for the appeal launched by Jamie’s parents, Sarah Allen and Dan Andrews.

It takes the total to around £9,000 and Dan now hopes they can start initial consultations for the procedure in February.

Jamie has Diamond Blackfan Anaemia, which starves his body of oxygen. His illness is complicated by a genetic condition which means his body cannot produce white blood cells.

Sarah and Dan have been told the only chance for a cure is for Jamie to have a bone marrow transfusion from a matching sibling - and they want to have an IVF baby who will be free of the disease and cure its brother.

Dan said: “It’s important we start the process as soon as possible and when we were first looking at raising between £12,000 and £13,000 that seemed an impossible figure.

“The support from the community has been amazing and so touching and the total has come together much quicker than we’d ever have hoped for.

"What the Anglia Co-operative store at Yaxley has done for us is brilliant – it’s heart-warming to think so many of their shoppers know about our position and want to help us.”

Store manager Stuart Mott said: “We’ve really taken Jamie to our hearts. He’s a lovely lad and it’s great our customers support our fundraisers for him so generously.”

* Anglia Co-operative Yaxley store staff from the left, Leanne Juniper, Paula Canavan and Tiffany Ince pictured on one of the stalls fundraising for the Jamie Andrews Appeal.