A Cumbrian woman has been to Buckingham Palace to receive her MBE for services to further education.

The Duke of Cambridge presided over the investiture during which Jennifer Foote, of Hutton Roof, near Penrith, received her insignia.

Mrs Foote has spent the last 14 years working in the further education sector, starting as clerk to the governing corporation board of Carlisle College.

She is now the company secretary and general counsel to The Manchester College and its wider umbrella body, the LTE group.

Mrs Foote said: "I never expected to receive an MBE for services to further education when I joined the sector 14 years ago – so it was quite something to find myself meeting The Duke of Cambridge for an investiture at Buckingham Palace.

"The importance of education and training for all is why I do the job.

"So it was a real honour for me and my family to make the trip to London to collect this award."

She added: "Our sector has gone through unprecedented change during the past few years – from curriculum focus changing to improving English and maths, the upturn in professional and technical courses and qualifications, the increase in apprenticeship numbers to achieve the Government’s three million target, and of course, the ever-changing political landscape.

"This makes my role, and that of my colleagues, much more challenging.

"But to be recognised with an MBE reflects how our group has managed to diversify and navigate difficult waters – and we should all be proud of that."

Mrs Foote, who has a law degree and a background in local authority governance, says she is "proud" of her journey from supporting Carlisle College's governors for almost a decade to her current role.

LTE is the country's largest social enterprise dedicated to learning and training and is made up of a number of specialist organisations, including The Manchester College.

Mrs Foote is also a member of the governors’ council at the Association of Colleges (AoC) and chairwoman of its national clerks’ network.

Her work there has included developing high-level qualifications for clerks of college boards.

Mrs Foote is married to husband Paul, who retired last year from his senior position at Eden Council.

They have two grown-up children - Katherine, who is 26, and 24-year-old PhD student Alexander.