LOTS of people in Ingleton have had their lives made easier by the public spirited actions of Dorothy Baines.

And now Dorothy, of the Little Wonder Shop in Uppergate, has received national recognition for all her quiet good works.

Coal merchant Hugh Redhead immediately thought of Dorothy when the company Coalite launched a national competition to find the country's most community minded people.

He nominated her, and she went on to win the regional final and scoop national honours in Coalite's Warm Hearts contest.

A delighted Dorothy received a silver platter, a rose bowl, £500 to donate to a charity of her choice and £250 for her prize.

"She'll never tell you because she's too modest, but she's given away the money meant for herself to charity too," Hugh told the Herald this week.

Known to many in Ingleton as Auntie Dorothy, she is a truly special lady, unselfish and incredibly good natured.

Dorothy is the third generation running the Little Wonder Shop, which has been open for 78 years.

Each day she visits a number of elderly neighbours and friends, preparing meals for them and generally looking after them - something she has done for the last 30 odd years.

"I have done this sort of thing all my life, really for the old folks," she said.

"Often they come in the shop and buy a light bulb, then they'll stay and mind the shop while I go and put the bulb in for them."

Rarely is a birthday or anniversary forgotten when Dorothy is around, for she has well over 100 special days marked up on her calendar.

Hugh explained: "She buys lots of people flowers for birthdays and anniversaries regularly.

"It's a lovely thought."

Dorothy has been a church organist for the last 49 years, having started out as a 10-year-old barely able to reach the pedals.

Now she plays every Sunday for three churches - St Oswald's at Thorton-in-Lonsdale (the church she has donated her winnings to), St Mary's in Ingleton and Ingleton Methodist Chapel.

She also collects waste paper, which people leave outside her garage and which she then sells to raise money for the church.

Dorothy does not see all her good works as anything out of the ordinary.

"You make such lovely friends in the shop, and Ingleton is such a nice village to live in," she told the Herald.

Dorothy and Hugh travelled to Sutton-on-Trent last week for the prizegiving ceremony, which was performed by TV's "Green Goddess" Diana Moran.

Picture by Craven Herald phtographer Stephen Garnett shows Hugh and Dorothy with their winning certificates. 12/0236/17a

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