Beryl Brown

IF Beryl Brown won millions on the lottery the first beneficiary would be Chequer Mead.

For Mrs Brown, the arts centre, in De La Warr Road, is a second home.

Since just after its birth in 1996 Mrs Brown has been volunteering at Chequer Mead, which was built on the site of her old school.

The 75-year-old helps out as a steward at shows, changes the theatre poster boxes around the town and helps send out the new season brochures.

Mrs Brown said: "My late husband Keith started coming and helping here when the place opened. He was always missing from home and I'd find him up here, so I thought if you can't beat them, join them.

"When Keith died I just carried on, on my own.

"It's so lovely. The atmosphere is so great and they really helped me through his death.

"They were so fantastic. They pulled me out of a deep sleep almost."

Until last year the former teacher also helped organised door-to-door and street collections for Barnardos.

Mrs Brown said: "I love talking to people. It's so nice to feel that you welcome somebody into the theatre and then at the end they come out and say thank you.

"You can make lots of new friends volunteering here. Chequer Mead does so much good for so many people.

"It caters for so many age groups from youngsters doing their shows to things for the older generation.

"Chief executive John Durrant and the crew have all been so good to me since Keith died. Helping here is the last I can do to repay them.

"I really feel like I'm coming home to my family when I walk in the doors.

"If I won the lottery tomorrow they would definitely be my first thought."