A WOMAN who has devoted her life to charity work is set to retire after 40 years of helping other people.

Sandy Anderson took over the regional running of the tea rooms of NEPAC, an organisation set up to maintain links between prisoners and their families, nine years ago and took over the running of the visitor centre at Stockton’s Holme House Prison two years ago.

Now the 63-year-old, of Billingham, has decided to call time on her working life after creating a welcoming visitor centre where she has helped maintain contact for hundreds of families.

She said: “It is good to see the families coming in really upset at the start of someone’s sentence and us being here for them throughout and then seeing their faces when the family is there to meet them on their release.

“Some people ask why people volunteer for work in a prison’s visitor centre - the simple answer is that we are here to support the families who are also serving a sentence.”

Mrs Anderson started volunteering on her husband’s army base in Germany in 1973 and has volunteered for different charities and organisations ever since, including several years managing Scope shops around the region.

Helen Attewell, chief executive of NEPACS, said: “During her time with NEPACS Sandy has helped to expand and develop our tea bar services across all North-East prisons, and has been the driving force behind the success of the Holme House visitors’ centre."

Jenny Mooney, Governor of Holme House said: “At any one time, Sandy is running the tea bar, or booking in visits, or answering queries over the phone as well as dealing with distressed families.

"She has taken multi-tasking to a new level, and this, along with her cheerful smile, will be missed by everybody at Holme House.”