MANAGER of the Kingsbridge charity shop The Cornelius Fund, Isabel Smith, has stepped down after 20 years.

Isabel has given two decades of continuous voluntary service to The Cornelius Fund, who help local people with housing issues and homelessness.

At a presentation ceremony at the shop in Mill Street attended by Cornelius Trustees, committee members and volunteers who help in the shop, the chair Jan Scott made a short speech of thanks in recognition of her long service.

Jan also presented Isabel with a bouquet of flowers, a gift and a handsome Tesco voucher on behalf of Isabel’s many friends and colleagues.

Everyone shared a celebratory cake and reminisced over the work and involvement of Cornelius Fund over the years.

The Cornelius Fund is a local charity organisation that has been providing a service to Kingsbridge and district for over 24 years. Their core mission is ‘to assist local people into private rented accommodation by granting interest free loans to cover the first month’s rent and deposit’.

The Cornelius Fund also helps people with donations of furniture and household equipment. To provide this service the Cornelius Fund is dependent on donations and on the shop outlet in Mill Street, which is run entirely by volunteers.

Volunteers are always welcome in the shop and application forms for assistance with rent and deposits can be collected from the shop.