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Middleton newsagent, customers choose Burnside Centre for £3,500 PayPoint donation

Wednesday, September 16, 2026 — 17:16:19 (UTC)

Middleton newsagent and customers choose Burnside Centre for £3,500 PayPoint donation

Ikram Vali, owner of Middleton News and PayPoint’s first Community Champion Award winner, has chosen Burnside Centre as the recipients of a £3,500 donation

After winning the award, Ikram asked his customers which local cause they wanted the community fund to support, with Burnside Centre the standout choice

The funding will help the charity continue providing opportunities, support and activities for children, families and residents across the community

Welwyn Garden City, September 16th 2026: PayPoint today announces that Ikram Vali, owner of Middleton News in Greater Manchester, has selected the Burnside Centre to receive a £3,500 of donation awarded to him as the first winner of PayPoint’s Community Champion Awards Programme.

PayPoint launched the Community Champion Awards Programme in June of 2026 to recognise retailers who go above and beyond for their local communities. Ikram was named its first winner earlier this summer, receiving the All-Rounder Award after more than 26 years serving local people through Middleton News.

The store has become a true community hub, combining busy parcel, ATM and banking services with its traditional bill payment and card processing offering, while remaining a convenient place for local people to shop and stock up. Upon receiving the award, Ikram spoke to customers about which local cause mattered most to them before making his decision. Burnside Centre emerged as the standout choice among his regulars, ensuring the award fund will support an organisation chosen by the community it serves.

Established in 1969, Burnside Centre is a registered charity and community facility in Langley, Middleton. Its services include early-years provision, health and wellbeing activities, advice and training, food and crisis support, and opportunities that bring local residents together.

Ikram Vali, owner of Middleton News, said: “I wanted the community fund to support a cause that really matters to the people who use our store, so I spoke to customers about where it should go. Burnside Centre was the standout choice among our regulars, and I’m delighted the £3,500 will help it continue the brilliant work it does for children, families and residents across our community.”

Kerry Edwards, Burnside Centre Manager, said: “On behalf of everyone at Burnside Centre, I would like to thank PayPoint, Ikram Vali and the customers of Middleton News for this generous £3,500 donation. It means a great deal to know that local people chose to support our work. The funding will help us continue providing opportunities, support and activities for children, families, and residents across our community. We are extremely grateful for this investment and the confidence it shows in the work we do. Thank you so much!”

The Community Champion Programme builds on PayPoint’s long‑standing partnerships with retailers across the UK and highlights those delivering strong performance while creating meaningful community impact. Future awards will recognise excellence across parcels, PayPoint I BankLocal and retailer improvement.

ENDS

For further information please contact PayPoint@mhpgroup.com

For the Terms and Conditions of the Community Champion Award please click on the following link: Terms for Retailer's Promotions and Prize Draws

About PayPoint Group PayPoint Group is a leading UK listed technology, payments and services business, operating critical national infrastructure that supports millions of consumer and business transactions every day. Organised around four scaled business units, the Group delivers community services, digital payments, rewards, gifting and merchant payment solutions that make millions of people’s lives a little easier.

PayPoint works with corporates, financial institutions, government bodies, fintechs, retailers and consumer brands, delivering secure, resilient and regulated services at scale. Its digital capabilities span multichannel payments, Open Banking, Confirmation of Payee and API-led platforms, underpinned by an unrivalled national retail network of over 30,000 convenience stores and more than 67,000 retailer partners and SME locations.

By combining the reliability of a national infrastructure operator with strong digital innovation, PayPoint enables payments and essential services to be delivered securely and at scale to consumers, businesses and communities across the UK.

PayPoint operates through four core business units:

Network Services

Delivering essential community services through a fully integrated retailer network, including banking services for consumers and SMEs, parcel services, government services and bill payments, alongside digital and consumer engagement solutions.

Digital Payments & Open Banking

A high-growth, technology-led platform combining digital payments, Open Banking and real-time data services, enabling secure payment, funds disbursement and data sharing solutions for organisations across housing, government, utilities, and financial services.

Love2shop

The UK’s leading rewards, gifting and prepaid savings platform, providing employee reward and recognition, customer engagement, consumer gifting and savings solutions through both digital and physical channels.

Merchant Services

Delivering merchant payment solutions, terminal rentals and business finance to thousands of businesses across the UK, with a strategic focus on supporting sustainable, profitable growth for SMBs and midmarket merchants.

Across the Group, PayPoint is focused on delivering sustainable growth, operational excellence and long-term value for customers, partners, communities and shareholders.

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Source: Company press release.

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