A tribute to Nila Patel

The Fed was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Nila Patel, a highly respected Fed member and owner of One Stop Millbrook Mini Mart in Stalybridge, who has passed away aged 45.

Nila was widely admired within the independent retail community, known not only for her professionalism as a retailer, but for the compassion, care and integrity she brought to her business, her local area and those around her. Her passing has come as a profound shock to colleagues, customers and the wider retail community, and leaves a sense of loss that feels both cruel and deeply unfair.

Last year, Nila was named Community Champion of the Year at the 2025 Fed Awards, in recognition of the tireless work she and her family undertook to support people in need. Judges described her store as “more than just a shop – a hub of kindness, creativity and community”, praising initiatives that ranged from providing free fruit for schoolchildren to fundraising for local charities and supporting homeless people through the Manchester-based organisation Don’t Walk Past.

The award marked a particularly meaningful moment for Nila. After nearly 24 years in retail, she entered an awards programme for the very first time, encouraged by the achievements of fellow women retailers; Julie Kaur, Amy Sohal and Sunita Aggarwal. Her passion for community work, and her pride in what she and her team had built, shone through in the remarkable detail of her award entry.

After receiving the award, Nila told Your Fed: “It feels amazing to win the Community Champion of the Year. I have been a retailer for nearly 24 years and I have never entered for any awards before, this was my first. I was inspired to enter after being encouraged by fellow empowering women retailers, some of whom I have only met over the last year. They all inspired me to enter, apply and simply go for it! I am truly honoured.”

For Nila, community was never an add-on to retail – it was at the very heart of how she lived and worked. Her own words, written as part of her award entry, spoke of community as something that “radiates” through daily human interaction, conversation, care and understanding. She believed deeply that a shop could be a place of safety, connection and dignity, and she lived that belief every day behind the counter.

Those who knew Nila will remember her warmth, her generosity and her unwavering commitment to helping others – from quietly assisting elderly customers, to supporting mental health initiatives, to stepping forward during times of crisis in her village. Her kindness was instinctive, her actions sincere, and her impact far-reaching.

Nila’s passing is a heartbreaking reminder of how suddenly life can change. She was a retailer still full of ideas, ambition and plans for the future. Recently with her husband, Suresh, the couple completed a shop refit, now under the One Stop symbol. Like all Fed Award winners, Nila had been speaking closely with Your Fed about an upcoming Retailer Profile piece. A sign of how sudden life can disappear.

The Fed extends its heartfelt condolences to Suresh, Shayan, Saara, the wider family, friends, colleagues and all those who will feel Nila’s absence, and asks members to keep them in their thoughts and prayers at this incredibly difficult time.