The 10th Birthday celebration of wholefood and eco specialist Poppy’s Pantry, winner of the 2018 Suffolk Coastal Business & Community Awards for People Development, took place at Melton.

The team served up helpings of vegan, gluten-free and full fat birthday cake.

The party was fundraiser with all proceeds going to The Royal British Legion and Suffolk Punch Trust.

This was a special occasion for Poppy’s whose social mission is to help and support those furthest from the workforce to progress and achieve. It specialises in employment opportunities for people with disabilities and/or disadvantages.

Manager Lisa Mann said: “We have 37 people in the team, including 11 full and part time supervisors, and we all very excited to be celebrating our 10th anniversary. The business has grown and expanded over the years, enabling it to offer more work-based opportunities for adults with disabilities.

“Because we specialise in ethically-sourced products, such as Fairtrade, and have an extensive range of vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free dietary products which are hard to find elsewhere, we have built up have a loyal and devoted customer following which is fantastic.”

She added: “We decided to make the party an opportunity to raise money for good causes, so we are linking it in with the Peninsula 2018 Poppy Project commemorating 100 years since the end of World War One, which is a collaboration with the Royal British Legion and The Suffolk Punch Trust.

“We are selling knitted poppies, and a lady has lent us an old kit bag from someone who served in the Great War for our window display.

Poppy’s Pantry also has a pop-up cafe at St Mary’s Church, Woodbridge on Tuesdays from 10am to 2.30pm.

Poppy’s Pantry is a social enterprise, one of a number of businesses run by Realise Futures across Suffolk.