A CHARITY worker who has battled MS has retired after spending four decades volunteering.

Lesley Richings, better known as Lez, first began working as a volunteer at the Darlington and District Branch of the Samaritans in 1977.

She has had to take honourable retirement this year because the MS, which she has battled since diagnosis in 2011, has finally made it too challenging for her to get to the branch on Woodland Road.

Her service and dedication was celebrated when she was presented with certificates, cards and gifts by the Mayor of Darlington, Cllr Brian Jones with his wife and Mayoress Cllr Doris Jones, at a buffet party earlier this month.

Liz McAllister, functional lead for publicity at Darlington and District Samaritans, said she will be “missed a great deal” in the Darlington Branch.

Lez only took a break from volunteering when her two daughters, Chloe and Holly were born, and Ms McAllister hopes the family’s association with the charity may continue in the future.

“You never know, one of these days perhaps they will take up the baton that their mum has very reluctantly had to put down.”