AN ELDERLY war veteran says she is considering giving up collecting money for a hospice

after a busker ordered her to move away from her spot in Stroud town centre.

Paddi Spruyt, 93, who served in the women’s branch of the British Army during the Second World War, was collecting donations in the High Street, for Longfield hospice, when approached by the busker who ordered her to move.

The widow from Stroud, who walks with a stick, had been taking her Longfield bucket around the town centre to ask businesses and residents for money on Monday before she stopped near the busker, a woman playing the guitar, who was getting ready to perform, at around noon.

“I have been fundraising for Longfield for the past six years and have never had such a disappointing experience,” Mrs Spruyt told the SNJ.

“Of course everybody wants to make money, but to tell me to move on – and in such an upsetting way – is unfair.

"I know I cannot legally shake my bucket at passers-by so was just quietly holding my bucket waiting for people to see me.”

Mrs Spruyt says she has enjoyed collecting donations for Minchinhampton-based Longfield since 2014 when she first participated in the hospice’s annual June charity walk, but her experience with the busker has made her consider giving up.

“My late husband was an Anglican priest and so I feel it is very important to do your bit for others,” she said.

“I have my permit and so I am angry that the woman was so hasty in telling me I couldn’t stand where I was. I feel hurt – this money is not for me after all.

“Each year I keep saying it will be my last for fundraising and maybe after this incident it will be. I feel a bit less encouraged to go out again now, but it has been something to do that has been close to my heart.”

Mrs Spruyt, who collected £50 in donations for Longfield on Saturday, says she is usually treated with respect in the town centre.

“On Saturday it wasn’t much fun standing in the cold and wet weather, but luckily the staff of Wilko invited me to stand in the store’s foyer,” she said.

“Monday’s dry weather was perfect for trying to repeat the sum collected over the weekend, so I was so disappointed by what happened.”

Ali Russell, chief executive at Longfield Community Hospice, said: “Paddi is a massive supporter of Longfield Community Hospice and without people like Paddi raising funds for us then Longfield wouldn’t survive. With the exception of a small provision from the NHS, we are completely reliant on public donations. She is really important to us.”

On Friday Mrs Spruyt completed the hospice's 5km Walk for Longfield alongside her grandson-in-law Danny McCue.

To donate in support of Mrs Spruyt, call Longfield’s fundraising team on 01453 886868 or visit, longfield.org.uk/donate/support-us-where-we-need-it-the-most-1/25