WHILE most people are opening their presents and tucking into their Christmas lunches to-morrow, Collingbourne Ducis resident Mary Bayfield will be spending her day voluntarily helping others.

Mary has undertaken voluntary work at the Countess of Brecknock Hospice in Andover on Christmas Day for four years.

It's been made possible because in recent years she has had fewer family commitments - and her family are happy to have their Christmas dinner in the evening.

It means she has been able to help others enjoy their Christmas before going home to her own.

Mary, aged 59, said: "The atmosphere at the hospice on Christmas Day is magical."

There are always a lot of families visiting patients on Christmas Day.

Last year, Mary recalled, one patient was surrounded by all his grandchildren carol singing together.

The hospice tries to let patients and families have the Christmas they want.

One year a visiting family even cooked their own Christmas dinner and sat down to it together.

She said: "There is a feeling of helping people have their Christmas.

"Going home afterwards you get much more value out of your own Christmas."

"I'm just lucky I can volunteer at Christmas without inconveniencing my own family.

"They are so supportive."

But it's not just at Christmas Mary spends her time at the hospice.

She works there voluntary at least twice a week.

She said: "I have the time and I enjoy working here."

For the full story see Friday's Andover Advertiser