Gosport guitar shop and Lee-on-the-Solent coffee van just two of the businesses up for honours for their work during pandemic

Gosport MP Caroline Dinenage has started to visit those put forward for her Community Business Champion campaign, making her first two stops to a guitar shop in Gosport and an independent coffee van in Lee-on-the-Solent.

The nominations campaign, which ran for only a few weeks, generated more than 100 nominations for businesses and organisations across Gosport, Stubbington, Hill Head and Lee-on-the-Solent, who have gone above and beyond for residents since the start of the pandemic.

Caroline will be contacting all those nominated, and visiting as many as she can as time, restrictions and diary pressures allow over coming weeks.

She visited Kouga Guitars in Stoke Road last week, whose owner Andy Wheeler was nominated for always being upbeat, friendly and making it clear that no job is too much trouble.

She then visited Coffee Dude, which was nominated for helping charity Acts of Kindness, responding to calls for help to serve volunteers and keep them supplied with refreshments.

Caroline said: ‘I have been completely blown away by the community spirit shown across our local area since the start of the pandemic and the nominations submitted by residents just goes to prove this.

‘Coffee Dude and Kouga Guitars are fantastic examples of businesses and individuals who are always willing to help out and, when needed, go the extra mile - they both absolutely deserve this recognition and awareness.’

Pete Bowman, from Coffee Dude, said he was honoured to have been nominated.

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He said: ‘Winning this award certainly took us by surprise but we are really thrilled.

‘Acts of Kindness has been working so hard to help the local community particularly during the pandemic and it has been great to support the team with my daily visits to the hub and keeping everyone fuelled with coffee and food.’

Andy, from Kouga Guitars, said he was equally thrilled.

He said: ‘Kouga Guitars would like to thank everyone who voted for us it means a lot we've all been through some very tough times.

‘Moving forward we would like to welcome customers old and new with the great same service we have always given. Thank you so much once again for the support you have given us. Now let's rock.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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