A WOMAN who was instrumental in setting up Tavistock's first playgroup and a dedicated councillor for 34 years received the town's top honour last Saturday. Norma Woodcock was made an honoured burgess at Tavistock Town Hall where she received a framed certificate and memento bearing the town's coat of arms. Mrs Woodcock said she was 'absolutely delighted' to be recognised in this way. 'I really am extremely honoured and very grateful to the council — it's given me and my family very great pleasure.' It is the first occasion in modern times that a husband and wife have held the title — Mrs Woodcock's husband, Gerry, was made an honoured burgess last year. Mrs Woodcock was a member of the town council, without a break, from 1973 until last year — 34 years of service to the community. Tavistock mayor Anne Johnson proposed Mrs Woodcock for the honour. Long standing councillor Ted Sherrell, who joined the council the same year as Mrs Woodcock, seconded the proposal and described Mrs Woodcock as 'ever a lady to light candles rather than curse the dark'. 'She was instrumental in setting up the first playgroup in the newly built youth centre in Chapel Street and subsequently became chairman, then president. She was, for many years, chairman of governors at Tavistock Primary School. She was founding chairman of the local Citizens' Advice bureau. 'The Jessie Ann Alford charity, where she is a trustee, and the Mary Budding Trust, where she is treasurer, still form part of the busy life she leads, as does the local U3A and the tennis club, where she has, for many years, been president. 'Over the decades, she has been an active and dedicated supporter of twinning, bringing to this, as she has always done to all her manifold work in our town, common sense, energy, enthusiasm and integrity. 'It is for her public work as a councillor on the Tavistock Town Council that Norma is best known. Four times, she was mayor of Tavistock. As a councillor, she possessed that rare trinity of qualities — wisdom, vision and courage. She was an excellent example of the old adage, "If you want something done, then ask a busy person to do it".' RIGHT: Norma and Gerry Woodcock at the ceremony with town mayor Anne Johnson. Picture by James Bird