Brenda Hoyle was chief cashier for a bank in the city, commuting to the capital daily, but has spent the last 25 years managing a charity shop in Chatham.

And as the town centre British Heart Foundation store celebrates its 25th anniversary, the 73-year-old from Walderslade can boast the remarkable achievement of being behind the counter right from the start.

Mrs Hoyle helped to set up the shop in April 1991 and still puts in a 35-hour week leading her team of volunteers.

Her venture into retail charity work came by accident as she brought up two children – Alan, now 47, and Stephanie, 46.

After leaving her job at the bank she helped out at a playgroup in Lordswood. Then she separated from her husband and her world changed.

She said: “My son and daughter were still in education. Suddenly I had to find a job as well as have a reason to get up.”

Brenda applied for the job after seeing it advertised in Kent Today, a forerunner of the Medway Messenger.

She said: “I was a bit green. I had never had any connection with working in retail before.”

But she never looked back and, over the years, it has become more than a job to her .

The former school governor said: “ I have always liked doing things in the community. I had no involvement with the British Heart Foundation before, but I soon learned breakthroughs are being made into heart disease nearly every week. And money the charity puts into research makes a difference.”

She said many customers have been affected by heart illnesses, but the clientele was across the board.

“We used to have a millionaire come in regularly and when Shaun Williamson from EastEnders was appearing in panto here he used to come in and buy books. We have some very loyal customers who have been coming here for 25 years.”

She believes, whereas some big stores like Marks and Spencer and BHS closed, charity shops have survived in Chatham because they have “kept up with the times”.

She said: “There used to be a bit of a stigma about buying second-hand goods but not anymore. We get a lot of students coming in and during festivals in Rochester, coachloads stop in Chatham. So we are expecting a busy weekend with Sweeps.”

During her spare time Mrs Hoyle, who has a granddaughter, Natasha, 23, enjoys supporting Everton FC and listening to Elvis records.

She said: “From day one on the job all those years ago, things seemed to click and now I know I couldn’t work anywhere else – we are like a family and have been through so much together.”