A love of antiques has inspired Nikki Baker in her quest to help St Ann’s Hospice.
Nikki is a valuer for auctioneer Adam Partridge, one of the country’s best known antiques experts after his appearances on TV shows including Flog It!, Bargain Hunt and Cash in the Attic.
Her instinctive ability to name a price for those long-forgotten possessions was inherited from dad Alistair, a keen collector as Nikki grew up.
The 14 charity shops run by St Ann’s are stocked with items donated by the public and Nikki advises on the most profitable form of sale, with revenue funding patient care.
That could mean placing goods on the shelves, via the charity’s flourishing eBay site or selling them off as part of Adam’s monthly auctions in Macclesfield.
Nikki, from Woodford, passed an audition for the St Ann’s Hospice Festival Choir in 2010 and three years later left her job as a director with the NHS where she had worked for 26 years.
She said: “One part of my job was to support the contractual obligations the NHS has with organisations like St Ann’s Hospice, which led me to further support through fundraising.
“I changed my career direction and had always liked auctions with a special interest in antiques, jewellery and furniture.
“I trained as a valuer and offer guidance by giving an estimate on what an item might receive at auction.
“Some go to auction and Adam is a keen supporter of charities and generously waives the normal seller’s premium to all charities.
“Initially, I also volunteered in the hospice coffee shop at Heald Green and am a relief manager in the charity shops.”
Nikki, also a hospice ambassador, has also organised numerous charity events for the hospice, including an annual charity ball. Husband Peter has also raised funds by running the London Marathon.
A seller who thought a jade figurine left to her by a great aunt might be worth about £15 fetched £5,000 at auction thanks to Nikki.
St Ann’s Trading Company Manager Amanda Brooks said: “Nikki has great expertise in the marketplace and we’re delighted to be able to call on her skills.
“We’d encourage anyone willing to donate items that may be of value to contact us.”
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