Holt store marks 25 years with special VIP guest
She was just 10-years-old when she was invited to cut the ribbon and open a north Norfolk town's newest store – 25 years later and Veronica Pearson was back to join in with the anniversary celebrations.
Mrs Pearson, 35, who still lives in the town, was a VIP guest of honour for the anniversary celebrations held at the Holt Budgens store on Friday .
She had been chosen to open the store in 1985, when she was a pupil at Holt Primary School, and after winning a colouring competition with her picture of Swiss mountains with snow on top.
She said: 'I remember at the time being very excited and very nervous about opening the store, the town had never had such a big store before, everyone was really excited about it.
'I have been a regular at the store ever since. It is a real community store, when you go in there, you always see someone you know.'
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To celebrate the 25 years since opening, Mrs Pearson and staff at the store released 25 balloons in the morning in aid of the Debra charity, which has supported Mrs Pearson's five-year-old daughter Daisy, who suffers with Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB) a genetic skin condition which causes blisters.
Mrs Pearson, who also has a nine-year-old son Joseph, said: 'Debra have always been really helpful to us, they fund nurses at Great Ormond Street Hospital, where my husband Michael and I go with Daisy a couple of times a year. It is nice to know there is someone there if you need them to talk to or ask about anything.'
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As well as the anniversary celebrations, the store is also hosting a range of fundraising events, which are continuing today , including a raffle, tombola, hog roast and charity bag packing.
Swaffham Rotary are also donating money to the Debra charity on Saturday from the proceeds of an art session involving local artist prodigy Kieron Williamson, eight, who chose the cause as he goes to school with Daisy's brother Joseph.
Budgens manager Sandra Taylor-Meeds said: 'The staff are all really keen to do whatever we can to help Veronica and the Debra charity, they are all very enthusiastic, we just cannot believe the store has been here 25 years.'
