An Irvine shop boss has been praised for his tireless efforts for the community since the start of the coronavirus crisis.

Raj Sapkota, of Irvine’s Premier Bank Street store, has been praised for swinging into action and ensuring elderly residents stuck at home get their messages delivered.

We reported at the start of the crisis how the family-run Bank Street shop began offering the free deliveries within a two mile radius of the town centre – with Raj, 31, ready to deliver goods to anyone who can’t get out the house by the next day.

The community efforts haven’t stopped their with the hard working team taking the time to Raj of Irvine late shop donated 50 children’s goody bags to the community hubs to give out.

Proud wife Harjit said: “Raj has mostly been left himself running things as I was isolating for three or four weeks, and our mum was going through chemotherapy.

“He’s so busy and still doing the deliveries in the morning by himself and the staff themselves have all been great.

“He’s been up and down to Glasgow sometimes two times a day just to get stock from wholesalers at reasonable prices, as or local cash and carry couldn’t get enough of the stock at the time.

“He’s been been working from 6am and not back in until 10pm at night.

“We’re just so grateful to him how he has managed to take all this on and doing a great job.

“It’s been difficult for the kids, as they’ve been out their routine.

“ Our oldest is not in nursery at the moment so she doesn’t understand why she can’t go to the shop and see her dad like she used to.

“We couldn’t really keep going if it wasn’t for Raj and the team who have been working tirelessly – everybody has been fantastic. Everybody has been working overtime, trying to get stuff into the store.”

Mrs Sapkota added: “The whole community really has come together, obviously my dad had the store and my grandad had it.

“We’re here for the community like they have been for us at this difficult time. It’s 35 years since the shop’s been there and we are community based.

“Last year when my dad had passed away everyone was really sympathetic and giving us cards.

“We really appreciated all the support.”

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