A MANAGER of a charity shop is retiring after 10 years of raising money to overcome poverty and suffering.

During that time, Carol Jones and her team have raised more than £368,000 for Oxfam which includes online sales over the past three years.

She said: “When I think about the amount of money we’ve raised over the years it makes me feel very proud actually, very proud of myself and my shop teams.”

Carol didn’t know much about Oxfam when she joined but has since become a “raving fan” of the charity, and tries to share stories with her shop team about Oxfam’s work.

“I always tell them – we’re not just a shop in Monmouthshire, we’re part of an amazing global organisation. And by doing what we do, all the small things we do, we’re helping to make a big difference,” she added.

“It was a challenge for me when I first joined just over 10 years ago. I used to run my own small business from home so it was a challenge to take on running a shop! But I’ve enjoyed it. The thing I’ve enjoyed the most is working with teams of volunteers. They are amazing people.”

The volunteers are a varied bunch. The shop has a 14-year-old and an 84-year-old working voluntarily! with an “amazing group of women” all in their 60s who are newly retired.

Carol added: “I started in Ross-on-Wye when that shop was under threat of closure and was there for about three years, then I ran that shop and the Monmouth shop for four years, then took over running the Monmouth shop which was also under threat of closure.”

“I will miss it; we had a fantastic year last year, we raised nearly £44,000 so I thought maybe I’d go out on a high! And there are things I want to do.

“I’m going on holiday to Cuba at the end of the month! Then it’ll be Christmas, then we’ll see what happens next!”