WHEN Sainsbury’s workers lost three colleagues to cancer in the space of four months, they had to salvage something from the tragedy.

Staff at the Oxford Road superstore lost Stephen Barber, 45, and Patrick Woods, 72 in February to the disease.

Then Clare McGee, 46, passed away last month following a battle with breast cancer. Now staff have named Katharine House Hospice – which cared for Mr Barber and Miss McGee – as their chosen charity for this year. And they have raised £500 for a memorial bench for the store’s foyer in memory of Mr Barber and Mr Woods.

Mr Barber – who had learning difficulties – worked as a shelf stacker for 15 years after being referred by disability charity The Shaw Trust. Sainsbury’s fundraising organiser Christine Cooper said of Mr Barber: “He made Sainsbury’s his life. He was always grateful that we employed him.” She said of his three-year battle: “He wouldn’t give up – he kept coming into work, he wouldn’t give in to it.”

She said everybody loved Mr Woods, who worked at the store for 15 years and passed away after a short battle with prostate cancer. Miss McGee had worked for three years in the store’s online delivery department.

Mrs Cooper said: “Because they were such long-standing colleagues we wanted to honour them, but didn’t know how. “We felt the only way we could honour them was with the bench. “Every time colleagues and customers sit on it, it would be a tribute to their lasting memory.”

Mrs Cooper said: “It is something that is fresh in our minds, that is why we wanted Katharine House as our charity this year. In 2010 and 2011, the store raised £4,800 for the Let’s Play charity and youth organisation BHYP. Mr Barber’s father, Bill, said he was touched by the workers’ efforts. He said: “Sainsbury’s were very good, they looked after him.” His son – married to Deborah – was diagnosed after a lump was discovered in his leg, which later spread to his lung.

Mr Barber, 68, said of the former Banbury School pupil: “He would ring up and say ‘keep my job open’. “He refused to give up, even when was going into casualty, he was asking if he could get back to work. “He liked helping customers and I think, even now, he is helping them have a sit down.” And he said he was thrilled the store was raising cash for Adderbury’s “brilliant” Katharine House.

Katharine House corporate fundraiser Sheila Norton said: “This reflects how much the local community values the work we do at Katharine House. We are thrilled to have been chosen.”