December 2024

Pat is a retired teacher and is heavily involved in many aspects of village
life, frankly a lot of us do not know if she ever sleeps! She is involved with
– amongst others! The WI, the Mothers Union, St Kentigern’s Church, the
Flower Club, the Gardening Club, she is secretary to Hesket Newmarket
Show Horticultural section, the Parish Hall, Caldbeck Players, she still
supports the Community First Responders group and she was one of the
early members of the team.

She also volunteers with the Northern Fells Group and can be seen at most events participating in some way or another. I managed to catch up with her at the shop whist she was pricing goods and stacking shelves.


Volunteering at Hesket Newmarket shop

Says Pat: I have been volunteering at the shop for many years and can
truthfully say I have enjoyed it immensely. I started way back in 2012,
initially to cover holiday periods when Andy and Liz were away and so
Diane was not alone in the shop. After that I’d call in and help out when
Andy went over to the Cash & Carry.


During those times I helped with all aspects, except the Post Office till (as I
did not do the training to be able to use that). I used to love serving in
the tearoom and helping make the soup which was made fresh every day. Now, I pop in once a week and stack shelves, help with pricing the goods, tidy rows and check sell-by dates are regularly rotated and chat with the customers.


The things I enjoy most are the people I work with and the customers,
having lived in the area for over forty years I know a lot of the regulars
and remember some as children, then seen them grow up, marry and are
now bringing their own little ones into the shop.


The thing about the shop is it’s dependable.


It is there for the people, and I am fully supportive and very excited about
the community plans to buy and run it as a community shop. The shop is
a focal point of communication in the area. We do also have a wonderful
pub but it’s not open during the day as much as we are, we are a one-stop shop for information, directions and help.


I look forward to continuing to volunteer and can perhaps help other new
volunteers to settle in and understand the jobs we do.
Every day is di<erent and its never boring as there is always something to
do. Like any other role. ‘you get out from it what you put in’.