Charity shop volunteers donate £20,000 to medical causes on eighth anniversary

Peter Orford and his wife Margaret, who oversee the running of the Friends Charity Shop in London Road South, made the presentation of £10,000 each on behalf of the Friends at a gathering also attended by Dr Leisa Freeman, consultant cardiologist and clinical director at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital Trust, Waveney MP Peter Aldous and shop volunteers at the Hatfield Hotel in Lowestoft.

There to receive the donations were Dr Iain Brooksby, chairman of Norfolk Heart Trust, and Maxine Taylor, palliative care charity coordinator for the James Paget Hospital Palliative Care East appeal.

Mr and Mrs Orford said: 'We put the success of the shop down to the fact that all the staff are friends and nobody is paid anything.

'The latest cheques have brought the total raised by the Friends shop over the years to £160,000 for the charities. The shop relies on donations of any unwanted goods particularly clothes and curtains and more is always needed.'

Mr Orford added: 'I have had treatment at both the Papworth Hospital and the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital and have only recently had a pacemaker replaced – so I wanted to try and give something back to the health service for what they have done for me. But we couldn't have raised the sums that we have without the help and support of our wonderful staff and customers.'

Mr and Mrs Orford were invited to attend a Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace in June last year in recognition of their fundraising efforts.

Posting on their website, Norfolk Heart Trust said: 'We give huge thanks to Peter and Margaret Orford of the Friends Charity Shop, London Road South, Lowestoft, and to all their volunteers, for yet another fantastic donation.'

Mr and Mrs Orford always welcome extra help at the shop and anyone with just a few hours to spare each week would be welcomed.

Anyone interested in volunteering can pop into the shop for further details.