RIDGEONS is celebrating 100 years of trading with special centenary activities at its March branch.

The builders’ merchants, which has 22 branches throughout the east of England, has enjoyed a week-long celebration to coincide with the anniversary.

Tools dating from the early 1900s, kindly loaned by the March museum, have been on display at Ridgeons’ Martin Avenue home in the town’s Trading Park.

A themed prize draw open to all customers to win a complete work wear outfit, a celebration birthday cake in the shape of a Ridgeons lorry and a host of other activities have marked the landmark occasion.

Dean Crawford, Ridgeons’ branch manager in March, said: “It’s been our way of saying thank you to our customers for their continued support and to make a toast to the next 100 years of successful trading.”

Founded by Cyril Ridgeon, the company started trading as a timber and builders’ merchants in 1911 and has grown into the largest independent timber and builder’s merchants in the UK.

March’s association with Ridgeons - which sponsors the Eastern Counties Football League that Wisbech Town and March Town United compete in - dates back to 1946 when the group acquired the established hardware and ironmongery firm of Pilgrim & Son in Broad Street.

In 1988, the group bought a greenfield site on March Trading Park and opened the new branch in January 1990.

Money raised during this week’s centenary celebrations will be donated to the Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT), the company’s chosen charity for 2011.