A CHANTRY Centre shop, run by volunteers of Andover Mind charity, has been named winner of the ‘Barbara Long Award’ for the best window display in town during the Jubilee celebrations.

The Ugly Duckling shop that recycles and renovates donated furniture has been declared the winner after they got most votes from the residents.

The contest was launched in memory of the late and much-loved Barbara Long, the former mayor of Andover Town Council.

In the closing months of her time in office as Andover Mayor, she was particularly keen on running a shop window display competition to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

Cllr Luigi Gregori was co-opted to invite all town centre businesses to encourage them to join in.

InAndover from Andover BID worked together with the Town Council to further encourage businesses.

BID then distributed bunting to every Town Centre business and set up an online voting poll on their InAndover website and publicised it through their social media channels.

The public had two weeks to vote and they did so in their droves. They decided that The Ugly Duckling shop were the winners with quite a considerable lead.

They had used many recycled items to create their display.

InAndover suggested that in honour of the late Barbara Long they should award the winners the ‘Barbara Long Award’ and asked Nigel Long to present the certificate to the winners along with Shelley from InAndover and Luigi from Andover Town Council.

Nigel felt that his late wife would have chosen them as the winners too, as their purpose was very close to her heart.

There were two runners up – Canto Gelato and Willows – who were awarded the Highly Commended prizes and certificates.

Shelley said. “It really felt like the whole town centre got on board with their window displays and this encouraged the community to really feel part of the celebrations in the lead up to the big weekend itself. It was also nice to do something to recognise Barbara Long as a wonderful lady who cared so much about and did so much for our lovely Town”.

Luigi said: “I was delighted to see so many shops decorating their windows and the great talent and ingenuity in putting together the displays. Very well done to all those businesses who took part. I am also grateful to all those members of the public who took the time to act as judges.”

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