The inspirational founder of Cockermouth Blind Club enjoyed double celebrations recently.

Marie Scott, chair of the West Cumbria Blind Society, recently marked 30 years since she started to volunteer at the society. This coincided with her 90th birthday.

Friends from the Cockermouth Blind Club and members of her family joined Mrs Scott at the Trout Hotel to celebrate her amazing twin achievements.

Edward Bebbington, of the blind society, said: "Marie has shown amazing dedication to serving those of us who are visually impaired and continues to be a pillar of the blind society, supporting visually impaired people across West Cumbria from the society’s Resource Centre on Lowther Street in Whitehaven."

Cockermouth Blind Club meets monthly at Lorton Street Methodist Church at 10.30am on the fourth Thursday.

Whitehaven Town Council recently presented Mrs Scott with a Volunteer of the Year Award to mark her 30 years of volunteering.

After retiring at the age of 60 from her career at Sellafield, Mrs Scott began volunteering for the society, and thanks to some funding from the National Lottery back in the 1990s she opened the charity’s centre on Lowther Street. She is still volunteering with the society.

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Mrs Scott said: “We’ve had a celebration and it was a very special one for me – I’ve turned 90 and have spent 30 years working for the visually impaired in West Cumbria, I’ve been a voluntary worker full time.

“I’ve had a fantastic time and have been given the Volunteer of the Year award. I love helping people, especially those who are visually impaired. There are 7,000 alone in west Cumbria with sight loss including young people and old people.

“We show them how to get financial benefits, specialist equipment, and emotional support and refer them to other agencies like Age UK.”