A STROUD charity has expressed its gratitude to a volunteer accountant who helped audit its books free of charge for more than three decades.
Darrell Turk, of Gloucester-based chartered accountancy firm Kingscott Dix, was one of the founding members of Five Valley Sounds - Stroud's talking newspaper for the blind and partially sighted.
Mr Turk, who will be celebrating his retirement at the end of the year, first helped to set-up the project in the early 1980s and has been auditing its accounts ever since without ever charging a penny.
To thank him for contributing his support and expertise over the last 30 years, the charity's treasurer Jane Willoughby, recently presented him with a framed certificate at a special ceremony.
"Darrell has been a quiet, crucial support to our organisation and his work and advice have been invaluable to us for over three decades," said the charity's chairman Bill Hicks.
"The pattern of dots at the bottom of the certificate we presented to him, spells out 'Thank you' in braille and we wish him a well-deserved long and happy retirement."
Mr Turk was the only member of the original team which founded the charity in 1982 still volunteering his help but the connection with Kingscott Dix will continue as his colleague, Bob Woodman, will be taking up the reins and auditing the charity's books from now on.
To enquire about the talking newspaper's free service, contact Lesley Partington on 01453 832034 or e-mail: lesley@abarchive.demon.co.uk