'Very difficult' keeping secret of New Year Honour

A volunteer who was recognised in the King's New Year Honours has said it was "very difficult" keeping the secret.

Corinne Rowe, from Bracknell, Berkshire, began volunteering for the British Red Cross aged 20.

Fifty years on and her dedication has been celebrated with a British Empire Medal.

She was told about the honour in November but had to keep it a secret until the announcement at the end of December.

Ms Rowe first got involved with the charity through her dad, who was the transport manager at Bracknell Red Cross.

She started off "making the tea" and her five decades of service "stemmed from there".

"While we were there we felt we ought to know some first aid and then we went on to do nursing and welfare, and the welfare has gone on to develop into what we do now," she said.

"We work extremely hard to help people who face the most difficult challenges in life and it is a huge honour to be recognised for that," she added.

According to the British Red Cross, Ms Rowe was one of the most called-upon emergency response volunteers in the south-east of England.

Her work has included responding to local incidents, like providing her own sleeping bags and tents to a couple stranded after their boat caught fire, to being deployed to support people during Queen Elizabeth II's funeral.

"I've seen so much in the roles I've had over the years, from helping people in Bracknell with wheelchair access and local emergencies, to welcoming those arriving in the UK following a crisis overseas," she said.

"It is so important to do this work in order to ensure people who are in crisis and need a helping hand can receive the correct support."

British Red Cross chief executive Béatrice Butsana-Sita said Ms Rowe was "an exceptional ambassador" for the charity.

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