»An 88-year-old who spends five days a week volunteering at the Sue Ryder shop in Dagenham and has raised nearly £1,000 has a community award.

%image(14902718, type="article-full", alt="Elsie Rowe and Alice "Wyn" Lambert with MP Margaret Hodge")

It has been 28 years since Alice Lambert, known as Winne, first started helping at the store in Green Lane.

It was what she describes as the “cure” to her feeling lost after the death of her beloved sister.

“I was unwell,” she said. “I went to the doctor and he told me I was a people person and recommended I meet others. I started here and I loved it. Everybody has always been so kind.”

Winne works at the care charity shop from 9am-5pm.

Flowers

As well as volunteering she has also raised nearly £1,000.

On Friday she was presented with a community award from Barking MP Margaret Hodge.

She said: “I got some lovely flowers and chocolates, and a certificate. We talked about old times and everything we do here.”

One of those memories was meeting charity founder Lady Ryder herself about 15 years ago when she came into the shop.

“There was a lady looking at a pair of shoes, she said she didn’t have any money so I said, ‘well, you can’t have them then’. Then a gentleman came in who was her chauffeur and he introduced me to her,” said Winne.

“She said how much she appreciated what we did and even though I was older than her she tapped me on the head and said ‘God bless you my child’.”

Presenting the award, Mrs Hodge said: “I started my Community Awards scheme a number of years ago. It’s right that we should celebrate people who have made a special contribution to the local community. Winne has made a tremendous contribution to Barking and Dagenham over the last 28 years. She is an example to all of us.”