Stars Appeal volunteer marks 100th birthday

A Salisbury woman supporting the Stars Appeal for more than 20 years insists she's not done yet, despite marking her 100th birthday.

Sybil Tucker started volunteering with Salisbury District Hospital's charity in 2003 and continues to give up her time at the Stars Appeal Bookshop in the main entrance of the hospital, alongside her daughter Nicola.

“I can’t really believe I am 100. I want to keep going and supporting the Stars Appeal for as long as I can," Sybil said.

She marked the milestone birthday after a morning in the bookshop with tea and cake.

Her daughter Nicola said: “We enjoy volunteering and get to meet so many lovely people. We know all the money we help raise goes to supporting our local hospital and all the people who use it.”

The mother and daughter, who live in Nunton, have raised over £65,000 for the charity.

They began by running a table stall selling books, and up to 2020, also ran a monthly book, bric-a-brac, and toy stall at the hospital.

Sybil started supporting the charity with Nicola in 2003 during its Ace of Hearts campaign to raise £1million to build a purpose-built cardiac suite. It was a cause close to the family as Sybil’s brother had a heart problem.

Sybil, who was a cook in the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force in Farnborough during the Second World War, and Nicola have a room in the Stars Appeal Breast Unit named after them in recognition of their fundraising efforts.

Dave Cates, from the Stars Appeal, said: “We feel honoured to be celebrating Sybil’s 100th birthday and we are so grateful for the huge amount of support Sybil, along with her daughter Nicola, has given us over the last 22 years, which has made such a difference to the lives of thousands of local patients and their families.”

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