Whether it’s sorting clothes or selling at the counter, the retired Eaglehawk resident enjoys being of service to the local folk who come into the shop looking for a bargain or simply to have a chinwag.

 “It’s good to meet the people and customers. It’s nice to have a little chat,” she said.

Mrs Mills has been volunteering at the shop since it started four years ago and works Fridays and Saturdays.

She’s also a member of the Salvation Army Eaglehawk Corps church in Church Street. “I like what they stand for,” she said.

The Salvos church holds a Hope Fellowship every second Sunday for those who don’t normally go to church or follow a particular religion – people who “who come from all walks of life”, said thrift shop team manager Jean Richards.

Ms Richards said funds from the thrift shop would go to the Eaglehawk community via the church’s youth programs and community garden, as the shop is independent of the big Salvation Army stores.