Volunteers are top of the shop!

5:30pm Friday 10th October 2008

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A SPECIAL party was held to mark some special milestones for a group of ladies who have dedicated more than 40 years of their lives to sorting through people’s unwanted jumble and selling it for charity.

Kay Cook, 74, and Gladys Cooper, 82, have both worked at the Cancer Research charity shop, in Basingstoke, for 20 years.

And their colleagues, Betty Bowles, of Soper Grove, in South View, Basingstoke, and Molly Parrett, of Rectory Road, Hook, have just celebrated their 80th birthdays after devoting years of their time and energy to the Wote Street shop.

June Hunter, manager of the shop, said: “These ladies devote so much of their time and energy to this shop and I think that their efforts should be recognised.”

The four were guests of honour at a special party held to celebrate Mrs Bowles’ and Mrs Parrett’s birthdays and to recognise the 20 years of loyal service from Mrs Cook, of Beaconsfield Road, in Fairfields, Basingstoke, and Mrs Cooper, of Carmichael Way, Brighton Hill, Basingstoke.

Mrs Hunter explained how the ladies undertake a variety of tasks, from operating the till to sorting out the clothes and bric-a-brac that people donate.

“People don’t realise how hard these ladies work and they do it all for free, out of the goodness of their hearts,” she added.