Jules Huck has received a High Sheriff’s award – but which of her many achievements should it be for?

Mrs Huck, of Parton, has been so involved in her community and further afield it would be hard to choose which of her efforts are being recognised.

She was a founder of the Look for a Book scheme, which saw 8,000 books hidden around the region of children to find and read. That was scrapped because of the pandemic and Mrs Huck looked around for something else she could do to help.

The second challenge for the professional cake baker and decorator was Just Jules, a Facebook page on which she and hundreds of others posted a recipe a day to inspire and help people in lockdown both to have fun and to eat well.

She also realised early on that there would be a desperate need for face masks. She put out a call and Get Your Crafty Pants On was formed with a group of 32 people from all over Cumbria pitching in to sew, donate money and material or to help with deliveries. The masks have gone far and wide – including 600 requested by soldiers serving in Afghanistan.

As the need for masks became less urgent, the group turned its focus to period poverty, making reuseable sanitary pads to be sent to foodbanks or wherever needed.

In her spare time, with the help of her crew. Mrs Huck was delivering food baskets to people who were isolated. While they tended to basic needs, the craft group did not forget the luxury either. “The Crafty Pants group have sent boxes of crisps, chocolates, wine, sherry, books and jigsaws out to people in West Cumbria who were sheltering.”

Mrs Huck said she was surprised and delighted to receive the certificate. “It really is a recognition for everyone, though," she said. “The group has been fantastic. Everyone has contributed so much – and I couldn’t have done all this without the support of my family”

She said the group has decided to continue making the masks for “but, because they are now in shops, we will make them for people who are less able to afford them.”