MBE for services to the community (From Penarth Times)

MBE for services to the community

PENARTH resident Hazel Dickson was not at all surprised to get an MBE.

For Miss Dickson, 64, of St Peter's Road, knew she had been nominated by Malcolm Cooke, a friend at All Saints Church.

Miss Dickson, whose award is for services to the Penarth community, has been on All Saints Church Parochial Church Council for 31 years.

For 22 of these, she has catered for church events including lunches, breakfasts and suppers, sometimes supporting Penarth Cytun.

She also co-ordinates 'Lent Lunches', at various local churches before Easter.

Miss Dickson has spent ten years on the Friends of St David's Hall committee, three years as chairman. Past activities included arranging a trip to Venice on the Orient Express.

Miss Dickson has also been on the management committee of Penarth and the Vale Crossroads (EMI) for 13 years. She started The Friends of Crossroads which supports Caring for Carers. This started in Penarth and now extends to Barry and west of the Vale.

She has been on the Vale of Glamorgan Community Health Council for eight years with an interest in disability issues and access to buildings. This entails her sitting on some committees of Cardiff and Vale NHS Trust.

Miss Dickson is also a committee member of The Penarth Society, which she joined in anticipation of having to fight for Penarth Pier's restoration.

She said: "Fortunately, the Vale Council undertook this restoration without any conflict being necessary. I now support our chairman in keeping Penarth clean and tidy and hopefully returning its former title as being the Garden by the Sea."

Miss Dickson, a wheelchair user, added: "I'm pleased with my MBE on behalf of all the people I work with. I'd like to keep doing as much as I am at the moment and also get more access for disabled people in Penarth."