A community stalwart approaching her 90th birthday is being celebrated with an honour from the King in the New Year's Honours List.

Jane Elizabeth Morris-Eyton is being awarded a Medallist of the Order of the British Empire (BEM) for her services to the community in Cumbria's Bootle.

Jane, who is a church elder at Bootle Evangelical Church  (formerly Bootle Chapel), said it was a 'complete surprise' when she first found out. 

"I'm very honoured to have received this, it was a complete surprise. 

"I just feel immensely humbled and honoured, I'm amazed. 

"I must be one amongst many who serve the community in lots of different ways. I'm just one of many others," she said. 

Jane's extensive community work revolves around the Bootle Evangelical Church, where she actively participates in initiatives aimed at supporting and connecting the local residents. 

The church plays a pivotal role in providing essential services for the community, ranging from weekly coffee mornings and lunches to creating a warm hub for social interactions as well as providing a meeting place for the younger generation through activities like mother and toddler groups.

"We supply essentials for everybody in the community. From that, you get to know many very different problems people are facing- transport issues, healthcare access, and support for the housebound and bereaved," she said. 

Notably, Jane was a former first responder in Bootle until her retirement in 2005. 

"That was one of the most valuable services in Bootle. It is a real privilege to possibly save someone's life.

"The ambulance can be a long wait with Whitehaven one way and Barrow the other.

"Often they were less serious calls but saving someone's life by using defibrillators, I think that's the most valuable gift you can give someone," she said. 

Jane will celebrate her 90th birthday in May 2024.

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