A mother-of-two from Lenham has made the final three in a national retail award for her outstanding customer service.

Jo Bates has worked at The Co-operative Food on Faversham Road since it opened in 2016.

She was nominated by her manager for her for the Customer Service Assistant of the Year in the 2020 Convenience Store Awards.

Jo has mobility issues and suffers with a degenerative disease which affects some of her joints, particularly knees and ankles.

Her manager Gill Kenward said: "She is an outstanding Customer Sales Assistant and she is also an inspiration to anyone who is living with a serious health condition.

"She is in pain and discomfort a lot of the time but never ever complains. And you forget that she has difficulty walking because she does not allow it to define her.

When Jo found out she had made the top three she said: "I love working in the village shop, the customers are lovely and have supported me in the competition process.

"We are a little family and team who all work well together. I would like to say thank you to everyone who has supported me and a massive thank you to Gill for nominating me."

The award had an in-depth three stage judging process looking at entries from retailers across the country.

The winners will be announced in a ceremony in May.

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