AFTER more than 16 years the mayor of Portland has retired from her role as community champion at the Asda in Weymouth.

Sandy West has spearheaded countless charity and community projects, earning recognition from the supermarket’s head office.

But on Friday September 16, the 67 year old donned her lime green shirt for the last time.

She said: “I was going to leave in March because Asda changed the way they did community work, not for the worse, just to include more computers.

“I stayed because of the response I got from the head office asking me to stay.

“It was also because of a customer who seemed very sad when I told them I was leaving.”

Cllr West stayed on for a further six months but in the end she had to call it a day.

She said: “I came in a couple of weeks ago and it just felt right.

“I had days off doing mayor stuff and other things, it just didn’t feel fair on the company and the store.

“I started here in 1996 and I was here for four years before I left but the store quickly asked me to come back.

“I started on the checkouts then I became the evening greeter.

“I got myself involved in a lot of fundraising because there wasn’t really a community champion job then.

“Over the years, I’ve done some weird things to raise money for charity.

“I sat in a bath of baked beans. I’ve gone into the foyer and had my head shaved.

“Without the backing of Asda, I couldn’t have done any of this.

“It must be the best job in the world.

“The customers here have really meant something to me.

“But I’m 67 now and it would be a bit nicer to see more of my family.”

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