ACS is delighted to announce Natalie Lightfoot as the winner of the 2025 Raj Aggarwal Trophy, a trophy celebrating exceptional community retailing.

Natalie was announced as the winner of this year’s Raj Aggarwal Trophy at a parliamentary reception following the ACS Heart of the Community Conference in Westminster. Now in its fifth year, the Raj Aggarwal Trophy was created to honour the memory of exemplary independent community retailer Raj Aggarwal.

Having won numerous awards, Natalie is a co-founder of Retailers for Retailers, an advocate for Women in Convenience, and always building spaces where retailers feel supported, seen, and empowered. After winning a £50,000 refit for her store in Glasgow, she seized the opportunity to transform and further cement her store into a community.

Natalie’s humility and grace brings people together, whether it’s brands, communities, or other retailers, she creates unity. Her home life is a testament to the love and balance she pours into her work, team, and the community she serves.

ACS chief executive James Lowman said: “Natalie is an incredible example of what it means to be an outstanding community retailer and this is demonstrated through her commitment to her customers and to making a positive difference in the area where she trades. The competition was extremely close and we would also like to congratulate this year’s finalists, Nathalie Fullerton and Chloe Taylor-Green, who have both shown unwavering commitment to their local communities.”

When asked about the importance of community retailing, Natalie Lightfoot said: "Becoming a community focused store is not only a moral choice but it is a commercial strategy. We all can sell the same stock but what sets us apart is the feelings we create in our community to be that of a sense of togetherness and it builds strength that pays back in loyalty. The varying community initiatives and events we build helps reinforce people’s choice to shop with us. They see and appreciate the effort."