THIRTY years as a volunteer in Settle, as well as reaching the grand age of 90, have been celebrated by a Hellifield resident this week.

Pat Wardman and her husband, Ronald, 94 this month, attended a party at Boxer and Hound, in Settle, where Pat was able to raise a glass to her ‘second’ retirement, her birthday, and notching up three decades of voluntary work which she said gave her lots to look forward to each week.

She was one of the first volunteers at the Age Concern charity shop when it first opened on the corner of Ashfield car-park.

That was at the start of the 1950s after she and her Leeds-born husband moved to Hellifield.

During her working life she was a telephone operator with the Electricity Board in Settle, and also worked at the Post Office in the town, and the chemists at Gargrave.

But when she retired at 60, she said she wanted to do something that would help people and so she linked up with Age Concern—now Age UK North Craven.

“I’ve done a bit of everything,” she explained. “From serving in the shop, sorting and pricing and even making floral displays for the shop window in the early days.”

“It’s brought me lots of wonderful friends, although we have lost some of them of course along the way, but it is always a happy place to be.

”I wanted to do something worthwhile with my time and volunteering allows you to meet and make new friends. It’s been so lovely.

“It gives you something to look forward to each week and, as you get older, brings you  confidence in everything you do.”

She added she does intend to pop back into the Cheapside shop whenever needed. “Never say never. I  don’t want to say a complete goodbye,” she said.