AFTER seven years of service, staff and customers will miss seeing the 'face of the St Luke's Hospice shop' as the Tavistock shop manager stepped down last week.

Jane Portman, manager of the shop in Brook Street, and her husband, volunteer and shop handyman Eric, were given a small leaving party in gratitude for their contribution to the running of the charity shop.

Sue Redford has taken over as manager but feels she has large boots to fill. She said: 'Jane will be terribly missed. She started with small beginnings here at the shop and she's made it into the emporium it now is. She's really put 210% into this place and I'm thrilled to be taking on her legacy.'

Jane and Eric started as volunteers in the other hospice shop in Duke Street, and helped to start up the Brook Street shop which began by only selling children's clothes.

Sue said: 'They have been the face of the hospice. The whole revamp we had in October was masterminded by them and Eric did a lot of the work. We don't want to say goodbye so we hope they will come back and volunteer.'

The charity shop will also be saying farewell to assistant manager Barbara Webb, who has been there for three years. A new volunteer Christine Sponziello has been welcomed onto the team and Sue and Christine hope to carry on the good work at the shop.

As a farewell, Jane had a small party with colleagues, and was given several gifts, including a dinner at the Cattle Market Café and a volunteer form.