26 June, 2020

Rae Taylor and Adeline Cottier, aka, The Linen Ladies, have a bond of friendship and humour which has seen them through over 8 years of volunteering together, at least 2 days a week and often more. 

“This job helps us get out of bed and keeps us alert” says Adeline and while they like the good that they are doing for Hospice they particularly enjoy the opportunity to recycle and help out so many other community groups. 

linen ladies

One of their best customers is a woman who collects linens to send to Pacific Islands and they also save linens that cannot be sold which go to animal rescue organisations. Additionally they save odd balls of wool which go to another community group who crochet blankets for rest home residents and Adeline makes up packets of crafts from donated goods which she distributes to 10 different kindergartens in the local area. Their notice board contains some lovely thank you letters from the other groups they have helped out from items that Hospice is unable to sell. 

Some would be overwhelmed but Rae and Adeline have developed their own system to deal with the linen which is received daily. And if they both stick to the process, all is well, and the job gets done with great efficiency. There is trouble if one of them doesn’t though and a good bit of ribbing goes on between them, and they enjoy a good laugh together. 

Both full of life, Adeline and Rae met at the gym over 8 years ago and today they still go to the gym and for a coffee before starting work at Ellice Road. It was a chance visit by Adeline to the Ellice Road Hospice Shop that got her involved. She was browsing the shop and as she remembers it, she got chatting to a volunteer who invited Adeline to give volunteering a go. A few weeks later Adeline encouraged her good friend Rae to join her and 8 years later they’re still going strong with no plans for retirement. 

“We just love it” they say. “We love the companionship, the customers and just working away and doing our thing out the back of the shop”.