Divyesh is Wirral Globe's business hero of the year

As we have continued to rebuild and recover from the coronavirus pandemic, the awards are given to honour those who have gone above and beyond in the last 20 months.

The awards recognise the everyday heroes and those working in business, education and hospitality who have stepped up.

The fifth award winner to be announced is for the category Business of the year, which is sponsored by Argyle Satellite.

This award will recognise a business that successfully diversified during the pandemic or a pub/restaurant that went above and beyond to support others, despite the challenges faced by the hospitality sector.

They may have assisted in manufacturing PPE or provided meals for the vulnerable and shown leadership in adversity.

We are delighted to announce that the winner of this award is Divyesh Patel, who runs the Tower Store in New Brighton, and cooked more than 2,000 free meals for key workers over lockdown.

He has also gone out into the community, to ensure homeless people have food, drink and warm clothing.

He is described as someone "Always helping the community with smile" and his efforts earned him your votes for this award.

Divyesh told the Globe: "I am very proud and would like to thank my community for making me proud.

"I never thought of myself as a business hero, but I always try to do my best, and possibly this is reflected through the respect and love from the community.

"They have made me a hero, but all I am doing is my job and doing all I can outside that, as is my civic duty.

"It has been tough over the last 20 months, and we have different types of customer. We wanted to take care of everyone of them, mainly those who were isolating themselves, elderly people and those who could not come out of the house.

"We helped them by delivering to their homes. If they needed any gas or electricity top-up we would do that too.

"We also cooked more than 2,000 meals and are still doing something to help the homeless people, going out to take them things like food, drink and warm clothing; socks, clothes and winter hats."

"I don't see myself as a hero, just doing my job. It's a blessing that I am able to help others too."

Divyesh Patel. Picture: Craig Manning

Comments from those who nominated Divyesh included:

"Mr Patel is amazing and selfless. All the years I have known him he has been outstanding in our community."

"Divyesh deserves this award. He was working day and night for community. He was looking after community during day time offering all sort services from convenience store and night time cooking delicious food for frontline workers.

"I am amazed. How can a person work so many hours. Always helping the community with smile.

"He has continuously supported local charities for a very long time.

"He and his wonderful family have an endless list of people and charities they have given to and helped.

"From donating boxes of sweets to children visiting from Chernobyl to enjoy on the pirate ship to cooking literally hundreds of fresh meals and delivered them to nhs staff and the needy throughout the entire pandemic.

"We'd see them daily driving to addresses with food parcels and shopping to house bound locals and shielding customers. No one went without.

"They do all this out of the kindness of their hearts. Wonderful shop to go to.

"Always happy, smiling and go above and beyond to help.

"The most caring family and community-spirited family on Wirral.

"They deserve recognition and reward as many would've been lost without them."

Also Highly Commended in this category was Billy's corner fruit and veg, who have gone above and beyond in their support for us whilst supplying and delivering, for free, our fruit and veg, since the pandemic started.

Congratulations to Divyesh – winner of our fifth Wirral Globe Community Hero of 2021.

Also well done to Billy's corner fruit and veg.

Tomorrow we will be announcing the winner of our Everyday Hero award.