Churchill Retirement Living’s Avonbank Lodge in Newbury has its very own ‘Lady Marmalade’ in apartment Owner Noeline Rycroft, whose homemade preserves have raised an impressive total of £500 for various charities since she moved to the Lodge.
“My marmalade is always on sale in the Owners’ Lounge for other apartment Owners and visitors to purchase for £2.50 a jar, and all the profits go to charity,” she explains. “Each time I reach £50 I make a donation to a different charity, so I’ve supported the Macular Society, Macmillan Cancer Support, local hospices and various others since I started.”
Noeline is very proud to have reached the total of £500 and she has no plans to stop there. She adds: “It’s a hobby I enjoy and other people can enjoy the fruits of my labours, so it’s a great way to raise money for good causes and everyone benefits.”
The recipe for success is simple, but Noeline is tight-lipped on the special ingredient that makes her marmalade extra special. “I don’t want to give away too many of my secrets,” she says. “But I do sometimes add a little drop of a certain liqueur to give it an extra kick – it seems to do the trick!”