BROADWAY woman Hilary Bolitho has been awarded the MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in recognition of the work she has done within her community.

Miss Bolitho, 87, has served Broadway and the surrounding area for nearly 40 years in numerous different roles.

Between 1978 and 2013 she was volunteer for the Workers' Education Association Charity, where she was the mainstay of the Chard and Ilminster branch for many years. Here she had the dual roles of branch secretary and treasurer.

Since 1988 she has been a church warden at St Aldhelm and St Eadburga in Broadway.

For a number of years she has put aside her own advancing years to serve the needs of many senior citizens, especially the less mobile and those living alone.

Miss Bolitho was with the Chard Blind Club as a volunteer for 27 years and an organiser for the last 17.

“The social club worked under the auspices of the Somerset Association for the Blind and I was a committee members for some years until I was 75,” said Miss Bolitho. “It is now known as Somerset Sight.

“I was the branch secretary of the Workers' Education Association for over 20 years, but sadly the branch collapsed when I gave up.”

Miss Bolitho added: “I did transport duties for 15 years after retirement for the Social Services’ Ilminster Day Centre.

“After my elder sister was unable to continue running the Broadway Ladies' Friendship Club I took over about seven years ago and I manage to get speakers for most the monthly meetings where we now meet in my house.”

She was a volunteer with the Newsline local talking newspaper for 27 years and a committee member and trustee for more than 20 years, while also acting as a churchwarden in Broadway during that time.

Her well-deserved MBE comes with the citation “for services to the community in Broadway” although Miss Bolitho has said that she has volunteered with groups across the Chard and Ilminster area.