A VOLUNTEER worker has finally decided to retire ­— at the ripe old age of 91.

Joan Hazell, who has two grandchildren and five great-grandchildren, began working for the Reading Citizen’s Advice Bureau in 1987, aged 65.

But following four office moves, which has seen the branch relocate from Butts Centre, Station Road, Chatham Street and finally to its current location in Minster Street, the Woodley resident said she is now ready to retire and put her feet up. She said: “I’ll really miss my friends but at my age retiring definitely has its benefits. But I’ve loved my job — it’s been truly wonderful.

“I’ve always been a very sociable person and what I like the most about my job is you get to speak to all sorts of people from lots of different backgrounds. Half the people that come in have been crying or are very upset and I really like being able to have a good chat with them and be a shoulder for them to cry on.”

Mrs Hazell moved from Reading to Woodley last March so had to catch two buses to get to her job at the centre, and said doing so had finally taken its toll.

She said: “The job has been great and has really kept me busy since we moved our offices right into the town centre but one thing I certainly won’t miss is having to get two buses to get here.”

Mrs Hazell’s last day was yesterday (Wednesday), but she plans to meet up with her colleagues regularly for a glass of sherry, or two.