A WOMAN is celebrating 70 years as a member of a charity which has given her as much joy as she has been able to spread through its work.

Freda Fletcher joined Crook Mothers’ Union in 1944 when she was just 18 years old- making her one of the national Christian charity’s youngest members.

Now she is the county’s longest serving members and is awaiting a certificate marking 70 years of membership, to display at her Crook home alongside certificates marking 50, 60 and 65 years.

Throughout that time has been involved in its charity work, fundraising and community events.

For many years she was a volunteer at the former Homelands Hospital at Helmington Row, near Crook, and Bishop Auckland General Hospital where she made tea for staff and visited lonely patients, was in the church choir and sat on the Parochial Church Council.

The 88-year-old said the group and St Catherine’s Church, where it is based, are an important part of her life.

She said: “My family was very religious and the church and Mothers’ Union have been such a big part of my life, we meet monthly and have speakers, I’ve always found it interesting and the members are good friends.

“It has been a great comfort in tough times, a big support when my husband Tom died in 1990 and then when I lost my son Stephen recently.

“Since I turned 80 my health has deteriorated so I don’t go as much but do when I can.”

Mrs Fletcher has two daughters and a son, three grandsons and two great grandchildren.