“It was a shock because the representatives weren’t notified, I only found out by watching the news and hearing it on the radio like everyone else did,” she said.

“I called my manager and she had only been told the day before, she said the doors will close on May 2.

“I can’t believe it to be quite honest.

“They’ve abandoned all of us and the customers.

“And, the sad part about it is, we can’t do anything about it.”

Mrs Wilkins, who will turn 77 in April, would have celebrated her 41st anniversary with the company in May.

She is one of more than 21,400 representatives and 220 staff to lose their jobs as the company withdraws from Australia and New Zealand.

If Mrs Wilkins owned a computer she would have seen the company’s Facebook post on February 15, which read in part “Avon today announced its decision to close its operations in Australia and New Zealand by the end of the year. Avon ANZ president and managing director Sharon Plant said ‘This is a very sad day for our employees and representatives’.”

Avon has operated in Australia since 1963 and has historically used the catchcry ‘Avon calling!’.

On its website the company touts itself as the “company for women” and “the company that puts mascara on lashes and food on the tables. That fights wrinkles with one hand and Breast Cancer with the other”.

For Mrs Wilkins, her Avon income helped to “top-up the budget” and gave her an interest.

“I was virtually like a social worker half the time – I’ve seen the same people for 40 years and they often offload their problems and it goes no further,” she said.

“This is my 41st year and now I only have two campaigns left.”

But it seems you can’t keep a good woman down and Mrs Wilkins already has plans to sell product for The Body Shop.

“I’ve got to keep going, I can’t just sit at home and do nothing,” she said.