Celebrations in the park for Chichester's Terry Timblick

The summer get-together in Priory Park, Chichester, for those who help at the Oxfam Books and Music shop in East Street, was also a chance to pay tribute to a much-valued long-term volunteer.

Terry Timblick, 85, started sorting and pricing books in 1992 at the then Oxfam shop on the corner of North Street and Crane Street.

And since then he has dedicated three decades to the charity, devoting time each week to making book pick-ups from donators’ houses with his son Luke. This has contributed to the success of the East Street shop which opened in 2019 where more than 50 people volunteer.

Shop manager John Smith said: “Terry is a testament to Oxfam's supporters. Over his three decades of continued service he has given so much in the way of time and donations to help further Oxfam's goal of ending world poverty. His upbeat attitude and unstoppable motivation has made him not just a valued volunteer, but a beloved member of the team. His spirit and dedication to the cause is truly infectious.”

Terry was also a ‘bookie’ at Oxfam in Croydon from the mid 1990s. “And the same Oxfam pattern prevailed. The fascinating challenge of avoiding that ultimate shame – an opposition charity shop buying one of our titles and putting it in their window at ten times the price!”

He worked at Chichester’s South Street store for many years, finding Oxfam volunteers always “purposeful and friendly”. A charity career highlight was collecting from the Slindon home of the late Anita Roddick, The Body Shop founder.