A morning tea with muffins, cheese and crackers, tiny cakes, grapes and a towering homemade sponge cake crammed with jam and cream was set up in honour of two valuable volunteers retiring from Marton Library after nearly 30 years.
Ann Collins and Barbara Lee-Jones were thrilled as they were feted with huge bunches of flowers, party food and tea served in floral china cups, not to mention the dozens of staff and friends who had gathered to wish them well.
The two women, who are in their "late 80s", said volunteering at the small, cosy library had been a great pleasure.
"I always looked forward to my shift at the library and always felt as I was really helping the team. I didn't really want to retire but I've moved to Whanganui and the drive is a bit much for me nowadays," Barbara said.
Her main task on each shift was to line all the latest newspapers up on wooden rods in the morning.