Beryl Baird, a long standing supporter and volunteer at Greenwich & Bexley Community Hospice, held a strawberry cream tea at her garden in Bexleyheath on 18 June, raising £435 for the Hospice.

This is the 57th year she has put on an event for good causes and it included her doing cream tea deliveries to some neighbours who are housebound and unable to get out and about.

She said: “I hold the fundraiser in my back garden every year and in 57 years I’ve only ever had one wet day! I hold it every year in mid-June.”

Beryl has volunteered at Greenwich & Bexley Community Hospice since the charity started and currently volunteers two days a week in the vintage and collectables shop at 16 Bellegrove Parade in Welling, doing shop window displays and working behind the counter.

The former Bexley Borough Volunteer of the Year says: “I love my volunteer work, it’s a good way to meet new people and it raises money for good causes at the same time. I started out with my first garden party for Cancer Research but I’ve supported Greenwich & Bexley Community Hospice since the early days 25 years ago. I was friends with the Hospice’s founders, Pat Jeavons and Don Sturrock, we fundraised together.”

Beryl also volunteers to help the fundraising team at events including running a teddy bear stall at this year’s Teddy Bear’s Picnic on Saturday 23 August.

Kate Heaps, Chief Executive at Greenwich & Bexley Community Hospice, said: “We really appreciate all the hard work Beryl puts in to helping the Hospice, she’s an inspirational lady and we’re lucky to have her support.”

Greenwich & Bexley Community Hospice is a registered charity that provides free specialist nursing, medical care and support for local people with life limiting disease, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, it relies on the support of the local community to continue its work.

To find out more, visit www.communityhospice.org.uk.