The Retail Week Awards is introducing a series of new categories and joining forces with retailTRUST in 2021 to celebrate and support the industry in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. 

The awards, which have celebrated excellence in retail for more than 25 years, have launched eight new Frontline Hero categories to recognise the people and teams who have gone above and beyond to keep the nation going during the health emergency. 

The  Frontline Hero categories being awarded in 2021 are: 

  • Store Manager
  • Store Colleague 
  • Store Team
  • Distribution Centre Colleague
  • Initiative
  • Delivery Colleague
  • Head Office Colleague 
  • Head Office Team 

The new prizes will be given out alongside 10 further awards including Retail Activist, Leader and the Outstanding Contribution to Retail.  

All of the prizes will be handed out at the Retail Week Awards on June 3, 2021, at a new venue, Evolution London in Battersea.   

For the first time, the Retail Week Awards will partner with retailTRUST, which has decided not to run its annual gala dinner in 2021. The tie-up will help the industry’s charity raise valuable funds to provide emotional, physical, vocational and financial support to people working in the UK retail sector during one of the most uncertain periods in its history.

All proceeds from the silent auction on the night will be donated to retailTRUST, while attendees will also be able to purchase charity tables, giving £200 per head to the charity. 

Retail Week is also asking retailers to consider making an optional donation of £100 per award application to retailTRUST to help it carry out its vital work at a time when retail employees past and present need support more than ever. 

Retail Week events director Poppie Mickleburgh said: “This has been no business-as-usual year and we knew we couldn’t launch a business-as-usual version of the Retail Week Awards for 2021. 

“As the platform for all that’s great about this sector, it was important for us to use the awards as an opportunity to celebrate and thank the industry for its vital work during the pandemic. 

“In particular we wanted to shine a light on those who continued to work in stores, distribution centres and delivery teams during the crisis and kept the UK running. We also want to applaud those in head offices who came up with new and innovative solutions to working and are delivering for customers during these tumultuous times.

“To do this, we couldn’t think of a better partner and organisation to support than retailTRUST.”

retailTRUST chief executive Chris Brook-Carter added: “There couldn’t be a better platform than the Retail Week Awards to celebrate and thank the individuals, teams and businesses of this great sector that have been on the frontline during this crisis.

“Not only can we highlight the dedication, ingenuity and hard work of these individuals during the most testing time in retail’s history, but we can raise vital funds to continue to deliver financial, mental and physical health aid to thousands of the most vulnerable who are still facing the devastating consequences of this Covid-19 crisis.” 

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