A CHARD charity worker who was inspired to volunteer after years living in the Amazon rainforest has received a royal seal of approval.

Hannah Newitt, 77, who lives in Bonfire Close, works for the Shoe Box Appeal in Chard and has been rewarded for her years of hard work and dedication, and will be going to a Buckingham Palace Garden Party in May as a reward for her years of hard work and volunteering.

At the party, she will be introduced to members of the Royal family, but it has not been confirmed which members she will meet.

Mrs Newitt’s charity work first started when she was a child, and visited Argentina with her parents, who were missionaries.

She lived in part of the Amazon rainforest for 24 years, and said she was driven to do charity work after seeing some of the squalid conditions children were forced to live in.

Mrs Newitt said: “I grew up in the Amazon and I lived out there for 24 years.

“Seeing the children, they had no toys and I was the same.

“No toothpaste, little things like that.

“I have also written a book about my time living there, and it’s called A Mud Hut with No Mod Cons.”

Hannah first got involved in the Shoe Box Appeal, in 2002, in a bid to help improve the quality of life for children in the rainforest.

Now, 14 years on, she manages to collate and send 10,000 boxes a year from the TA20 area.

Talking of the appeal, Mrs Newitt said: “It started off because a friend from church started doing it at her house and I got involved.

“Then it just spiralled so much that it got too big for the house, so we had to get a warehouse.

“The lorry comes and collects boxes from the warehouse, which are then taken to Bristol to Blythswood Care.”

Forever working for others, Mrs Newitt didn’t know she had been nominated to attend the prestigious event at Buckingham Palace, and she had actually been put forward by other volunteers from Shoebox.

Speaking of her excitement for the event, she added: “I was nominated by some friends who I help with doing the ShoeBoxes.

“It was a couple of years ago my name was put forward and then earlier this year I received a letter saying I had been nominated.

“I was quite surprised. I was shocked really, I didn’t expect it.

“My friends were quite pleased and quite surprised too. I have to thank those who nominated me.”

Hannah’s husband of 23 years Brian Newitt, 79, praised his wife for her dedication and hard work, and said: “I think it is nice that somebody recognised her hard work.

“It has come out of the blue really. I do think she works hard in what she does.”

Hannah will be going to the garden party in May, with a friend who lives in London.