Norwich Open Christmas volunteers and visitors will know Lil Standage as one of the regular team who organise the event. We think she has only missed one Open Christmas since the event started!
In August Lil will retire from her day job as manager at the All Saints Centre in Westlegate after 18 years providing advice and care for hundreds of people who passed through it's doors.
The All Saints Centre has been a place of “Christian hospitality” for many years and anyone is welcomed into the centre if they are in need of information, a rest a chat, meeting friends, leaving luggage, or requiring refreshments.
Funded by donations and manned by volunteers and a small team of paid staff, the centre is now open seven days a week. One of the initiatives that Lil helped pioneer was opening the centre on Sunday. She felt it was important because Sunday is a day for the family and there are many people who don't have anyone so ASC is a place they can come for company.
She told the Evening News in an article published to mark her retirement: “I would like to see employers being more open minded about people that have no fixed abode. People who are homeless and trying to get back on their feet really struggle because no one will employ them. It is very hard for some people.
“I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here but I think you know in life when it is time to move on and this is time for me now.”
We offer Lil our best wishes for a long and enjoyable retirement and look forward to seeing her at Open Christmas.
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