The volunteer manager of Mawnan Smith’s Cornwall Hospice Care shop has retired from her position but vowed to continue her support.

Sheila Martin joined the newly set up shop four years ago following her recovery from breast cancer. After a month of working there she was appointed volunteer manager.

She has decided to step down from her position due to health reasons, but will be continuing to volunteer at the shop two days a week.

Sheila’s colleagues organised a small gathering to celebrate her retirement, which came as an “absolute surprise.”

Debby Whittaker, a volunteer at the shop, said that they had wanted to thank Sheila for all her “hard work.”

Sheila remembers one of her fondest memories as “the support of the village” when the shop moved premises on September 1 this year. Seven men turned up to help redecorate the new space and it was a community effort.

“We never envisaged that we would receive so much support from outside,” she said.

There are 28 Cornwall Hospice Care shops across the county and the Mawnan branch has 29 volunteers. It receives most of its donations from the village, which can amount to 30 or 40 bags of stock a day.

“I would like to thank all the volunteers, Debby Whittaker and Daisy Jones, and Lynn Tregilgas from the St Austell Head Office,” said Sheila.

“The spirit of everybody is fantastic and they all do the extra mile.”

Daisy will be taking over as manager, having previously managed the Penryn shop that has since closed.