TWO local people have received their British Empire Medals.

Maureen Selley from Horrabridge was awarded a BEM in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in June for services to local history, and on October 9, accompanied by her son Rick and her daughters, Kay and Annette, she received the coveted award from the Lord Lieutenant of Devon.

Chairman of Yelverton Community Projects Brian Medhurst also received his British Empire Medal on the same day for his work in the parish.

Maureen said: ‘As all award holders are nominated anonymously by an individual and information gathered by that person in confidence from a number of people, I have no idea who to thank!

‘At the investiture ceremony it was inspiring to hear of the achievements of the other three Devon based BEM recipients and the five community groups who received the Queen’s award for Voluntary Service. The Lord Lieutnant of Devon was very welcoming and put all attending at their ease.

‘I am particulary looking forward to attending a garden party at Buckingham Palace next year.’

Maureen attended Stuart Road and Honicknowle Primary Schools from 1947 to 1953 and Plymouth High School for Girls from 1953 to 1958. She worked in Plymouth libraries during the 1960s, then trained as a teacher at the College of St Mark and St John (Marjon) and taught at Mount Street Primary School, Plymouth from 1972 to 1999.

Always interested in local history, Maureen wrote an account of the ‘History and Development of Leigham’ and ‘Children and School Libraries’, as part of her studies at Marjon.

During her teaching career, Maureen always encouraged the children to appreciate the clues to their history around them and under their feet. She was particularly proud to make them aware of Plymouth’s history, including the Eddystone lighthouses on the school’s badge.

In recent years her latest projects for children have included setting up Devon Family History Society’s Acorn Club and creating treasure trails around the Hoe and Devonport Park.

In 2014 Maureen was awarded a Certificate of Recognition from the Society of Genealogists for ‘ongoing dedication in ensuring that family history maintains a high profile within the county of Devon’.

In 1988, Maureen joined the Devon Family History Society, researching her own and her husband Brian’s families. She was chairman for 14 years and is now the society’s secretary.

In 2008, Maureen encouraged many local history groups and societies to band together and pressurise the Plymouth City Council to re-locate the poorly positioned Plymouth and West Devon Record Office.

As a volunteer founder member of the Plymouth History Consortium, Maureen represented the stakeholders at the Heritage Lottery Fund and spoke at Plymouth City Council’s planning meeting in favour of the proposed Plymouth History Centre, now named ‘The Box’ and due to open in 2020, in time for the Mayflower 400 celebrations.

Maureen added: ‘I enjoy working with all the many volunteers in Devon FHS, the Plymouth History Consortium and the Plymouuth and West Devon Record Office..

‘I will continue to do all I can to promote  family and local history interests in Devon and to support  the many thousands of individuals, societies and groups who care deeply about the history and heritage of our wonderful county,’ she said.

‘This will be achieved by providing the very best possible care now and in the future for all the related documents and artefacts which tell our stories and by publicising and  encouraging people to use them.’

Chairman of Yelverton Community Projects Brian Medhurst, who was given his British Empire Medal in Plymouth, said in June: ‘Receiving this honour was a total surprise. We have been around for 20 years in Yelverton and five years ago we received the Queen’s Award for volunteer services to Yelverton.

‘We are still going strong as an organisation and I am delighted that the Queen has recognised us.

‘I am so surprised with this award but it really is a team effort.’