A POPULAR Newport woman who worked at laundrette for nearly fifty years has died.

Dorothy Bishop, 86, died at the Royal Gwent Hospital on May 3.

Her funeral - which is to be a colourful celebration of her life with those attending asked to wear bright clothing - is to take place on Tuesday, May 30 at St. Philip’s Church, in Jenkins Street, Newport, at 12.30pm followed by committal at the Gwent Crematorium, Croesyceiliog.

Mrs Bishop, affectionately known by many as ‘Dot’, spent all her life in Newport, recently living in Treberth Crescent.

Previously, she had lived in Dewstow Street and Wednesbury Street.

Her son, Adrian Bishop, said: “She was a very lovely woman, she was very outgoing.

“Wherever we went, everybody knew her. She was very affectionate as well, she would always give you a kiss.”

Mr Bishop said that everybody knew her in the Tesco in Spytty and in the indoor market, where she used to go for breakfast and lunch several times a week.

“She was always smiling and she was always up for a joke,” he said.

Mrs Bishop worked at Gwent Laundry which later became Paragon Laundry, from the age of 14 until she retired at the age of 62.

The mum of one, who had three grandchildren and five great-grandchildren, volunteered much of her time to help at St. Andrew’s School and Lliswerry Primary School.

Jo Hume from Ian Watts & Son Funeral Directors said: “The service is to be a real celebration of Dot’s Life and all are welcome to attend wearing any colours they wish.

“This lady was so well known and so very loved throughout the Newport area, she will be greatly missed.”

At the funeral, they will be collecting donations for veterinary charity PDSA and the Royal Gwent Hospital’s neonatal unit.