Greta gets friends’ vote

12:00pm Monday 12th November 2007

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SHE never thinks twice about helping others, always provides a listening ear and has raised thousands of pounds for charity.

Kind Greta Paxton has been nominated by two of her closest friends for the Daily Echo Carer of the Year Award, which is being backed by Southampton Lions.

Peggy Gurd and her daughter Ann Brown have nominated Greta who has never let her own disability get in the way of helping others.

The 68-year-old was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 19 and had to have her right arm amputated. She had to learn how to use her left arm for everything and subsequently had an artificial limb fitted.

This did not stop her building a business from scratch. Greta spent years running her fabric and hat shop in Foyes Corner, Shirley, Southampton, until retiring seven years ago.

Despite her sight deteriorating three years ago, the mother-of-two of Northlands Gardens, Shirley, still helps others whenever she can. A recent coffee morning she organised raised £1,600 for Macmillan nurses.

She said: "I just love people. I think we are on this earth to help each other. I am a bit of an agony aunt. I feel that is why we are here, to look after each other." Peggy, of Dale Valley Close, Shirley, said she nominated Greta because she is "a remarkable lady".

"She manages to do so much for others. She has now had to give up driving but before she would take elderly people out and about. Despite her disability, she is always a very happy person and always ready to help other people. She is a kind, generous and very lovely lady."