CELEBRATION was in the air in more ways than one for a 90-year-old Kidderminster woman last week.
Dorothy McClurg reached the landmark and also became the oldest ever volunteer at the British Heart Foundation's charity shop in Kidderminster.
Mrs McClurg has been fund-raising for the charity for more than 10 years and has worked at the Worcester Street shop since it opened four years ago.
The sprightly Beechfield Drive resident is showing no signs of lightening her busy schedule and, as she puts it, is "determined to show the younger ones a thing or two".
As well as her day working the till at the shop, Mrs McClurg, who moved to Kidderminster 25 years ago shortly after her retirement, enjoys travel, exercise and spending time with her family.
She said: "We do all sorts of things at the shop and I am involved in most of them.
"I began my work there because the secretary and treasurer of the Kidderminster branch of the foundation are good friends of mine.
"They were short of people to help with the fund-raising and it took my fancy."
She added: "I take part in street collections, Christmas fairs and clay pigeon shooting, and we have stalls at the Kidderminster, Bewdley and Stourport carnivals.
"We also enjoy a walk through Wyre Forest in September each year which usually raises between three and four thousand pounds and is always tremendous fun."
Mrs McClurg, who has one son, two grandchildren and three great-grandchildren, was educated at Stourbridge High School and worked as a wages clerk for the firm which is now Hotpoint.
She ended her career as a company secretary for a plant hire firm.
However, she is not content with simply enjoying life in the Midlands.
In her spare time she loves to travel and regularly visits friends in Cologne.
She said: "I love to get out and about and we also used to own a caravan in the South of France which was great fun to visit.
"I had a great time on the Eurostar last year when I had to change at Brussels."
And Mrs McClurg is clocking up the miles back in Britain too.
She is still driving and has only just bought an exercise bike which is proving a great hit.
She said: "I think it is important to keep as fit as possible because it makes life far easier."
The plucky pensioner was able to tell family and friends of all her latest goings on when she celebrated her birthday with a bash at the Live and Let Live pub in Wolverley at the weekend.
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