LIPHOOK’S award-winning community support laundry celebrated the retirement of Diane Allan, who has decided to hang up her apron at the age of 88 after 20 years service.

Customers are not only able to get their laundry washed, dried and ironed, but also catch up with the latest village gossip.

Diane’s daughters, Sarah Harding and Barbara Price joined the celebrations, held at Liphook’s Day Centre, together with centre manager Penny Leigh, chairman Irene Ellis, and members of the committee.

They presented Diane, who has managed the laundry since it opened in Midhurst Road, in 1998, with a comfortable lazy boy chair as well as £233 in cash, donated by her many customers, staff and clients of the Day Centre.

Irene, who has helped with the running of the laundry for the last seven years, told The Herald: “Katie Restell, who has taken over from Diane, now has a fully equipped laundry which includes our latest purchase at the cost of £1,800 – a new dryer that switches itself off.

“We still rely on grants, donations and fundraising to keep our popular community facility open and keep the price down for our customers to just £6 per bag.”

The new committee took over the laundry for the elderly in December 2011 when Age Concern felt they were no longer able to run it.

The group raised more than £6,000 in a short period of time, to pay for the first year’s lease, a new washing machine, dryer, iron and stand as well as giving the premises a much-needed face lift.

The laundry has gone from strength to strength since. Irene can be contacted on (01428) 723823 or email info@liphookcom munitylaundry.co.uk.