MBE for Dunstable Downs Past President

Hilary who is 77, was awarded the honour for her charitable work and services to older people in Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire.

A community-nursing sister by profession, Hilary has provided sustained services to the community, to disabled people and various charities for the last 40 years.

She said: “I feel highly honoured, it was totally unexpected, very wonderful news! I heard about it in the middle of November in confidence. When I went through my letters and realised what it was, I was quite emotional. We couldn’t tell anyone at the time and we were bursting to share it.”

Hilary began fundraising for the NSPCC in 1977 and has regularly chaired the County Fundraising Committee, raising over £100,000.

She also ran a Charity Mid-Summer Revel for the Muscular Dystrophy campaign for many years, raising many thousands of pounds each year. She said: “We had a friend whose son had muscular dystrophy and that’s how we got involved with the charity, but sadly, he died when he was 21.”

She had also been involved with the NSPCC since 1974 and was the chairman of the Dunstable branch several times raising over £100,000. Sadly the Dunstable Committee faded out as the charity became more corporate and she was getting older.”

In 1993 while working in Tring as a community nurse, Hilary was invited to join the Tring and District Rotary club as their first lady member and during her time there she held every senior office except treasurer. She was their first lady President in 1998-1999. In 2008 she retired from nursing and transferred to Dunstable Downs Rotary Club as their first female member, eventually going on to become its first lady president. Since then she has encouraged four more ladies to join the club. During her time with Dunstable Downs Club she has been awarded a Paul Harris Fellowship.

Hilary has also mentored students applying for Rotary International scholarships helping to send five UK students overseas.

In 2003 Hilary took over as Chairman of the Good Companions Afternoon Tea Club in Tring. She still organises the annual program of monthly meetings for local elderly people, many of who are house bound. These meetings include transport, entertainment and afternoon tea.

Hilary added, “I would like to thank everyone for their support, especially the Rotary Club and past members of the NSPCC Committee.”