A WELL-known character in Callington, who has played a pivotal part in helping the community for many years, has been recognised for her efforts with a medal in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List.

June Trevithick was announced as a recipient of the British Empire Medal (BEM) in the honours list, which was released at the weekend, coinciding with the Queen’s 93rd ‘official’ birthday on June 7, for her services to the community in Callington.

The medal is granted in recognition of meritorious civil or military service.

June is a long-serving member of the Callington and District Branch of the Royal British Legion.

She has been participating in the annual poppy collection in the town every year since 1969 and was standard bearer for the branch for many years.

She has been a member of the Callington team involved in the Plymouth Soup Run, which provides hot food and drinks to the homeless and vulnerable, for the past 11 years and is a key committee member for the local community centre in the town.

June also helps to run a regular quiz night raising money for charity at the Bulls Head, where she works.

June said she was ‘quite surprised’ when she found out about the medal.

‘It is a great honour,’ she said. ‘I enjoy doing what I do and I do it because I want to, not to get any recognition for it.

‘I do all sorts of various things for the community — if someone asks for help, I won’t hesitate to do what I can.

‘My husband always says “the problem with you, June, is that you just can’t say no!”

‘I enjoy helping people and if you are able to do it you should help people less fortunate.’

Many people in Callington will be familiar with June as she worked as a dinner lady at Callington Community College for many years and worked with Rowlands travelling fair for years on the hot dog stand — and she still works on the stand at Tavistock’s Goose Fair.

June said she would be presented with the medal by the Lord Lieutenant of Cornwall Edward Bolitho in the near future.

She has also been invited to the annual garden party at Buckingham Palace next year.

She said: ‘I have been to the garden party before when I was recognised for my services to the community but I just went as a guest — not with a medal.

‘I’m hoping I get the medal before Armistice Day so I can wear it then.’

Callington town clerk Helen Dowdall said June was very well-known in the town for all her community work.

‘June is a very familiar face in the town and she’s always been a great character,’ she said.

‘It is really nice that she has been recognised in this way for everything she has done.’

June lives in Callington with her husband John, whom she has been married to for nearly 54 years. She has two sons, six grandchildren and three great grandchildren who all live in the area.