An Asda employee from Gateshead is now combining her supermarket role with a new ministry in the Church of England.

Donna Robinson, 59, has worked at the Gateshead store for over two decades.

Now, she’s stepping into a second vocation as a deacon, having been ordained at Durham Cathedral by the Acting Bishop of Durham, the Rt Revd Sarah Clark.

Robinson is currently serving her curacy across three churches: St Cuthbert’s Blaydon, St Patrick’s High Spen and St Barnabas Rowland’s Gill. In a year’s time, she will also be licensed to officiate at weddings and distribute communion.

She told Premier that she credits her time at Asda for helping her to grow pastorally saying: "I feel that what I do in my day job at Asda helps me walk alongside people in the church, it's very interlinked for me."

Despite leaving school at 16 and struggling academically, she completed four years of training at Lindisfarne College of Theology, where she was diagnosed with dyslexia.

“I'm just a working class girl from the north east of England…my confidence was not what it is now, four or five years ago...when you feel like giving up, open your heart to the Lord", she said.

Rt Revd Sarah Clark praised her ordination, saying: “Watching Donna grow in faith and confidence has been lovely,” and called her long service with Asda a reflection of her “loyalty, dedication and love of people.”

Robinson said she’s been overwhelmed by encouragement from her local community, adding: "Just the other day I was in the foyer and a lady told me congratulations...I was a little bit taken aback... I was very much overwhelmed by people's kindness."

"I'm just me and God's called me to be me".