RNLI volunteer for 65 years appointed MBE

Shelia Warner became involved with the lifeboat charity when her husband was a crew member

A woman who has spent 65 years volunteering with the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) has been named on The King's New Year Honours List.

Sheila Warner, 88, became involved at Wells-next-the-Sea lifeboat station in Norfolk in the 1950s - when her husband was part of the crew.

She has been recognised for voluntary services to the RNLI.

Mrs Warner, who has been appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE), said she was "lost for words".

She said her husband, Sonny Warner, had been a lifeboat man for 35 years and it was "something you become involved in, you're part of a team".

She added: "He was dedicated to the lifeboat, it's all he thought about in the later years."

Mrs Warner said she was happy to see changes over the years, including women being allowed to become crew members, but said she never wanted to join the crew herself.

"I like my feet on the ground," she said.

During her more than 60 years with the lifeboat service, Mrs Warner has "stood on street corners in the cold and wet" raising funds, run coffee mornings, arranged Christmas fairs and "all sorts of other things" in a bid to bring in funds.

"I was a founder member of the Ladies' Lifeboat Guild over 50 years ago and we did have one time when [we were] thinking of packing up, but we all rallied around and we've got a good team now.

"It's like a friendship club now more than a lifeboat club," she added.

Mrs Warner said she was looking forward to sharing the news with family and friends.

"I'm lost for words. It's an amazing feeling, something that I never expected," she said.

The dedicated volunteer said she hopes to continue her involvement for as long as possible.

She said: "I still go down the lifeboat house twice a week, sometimes people take me because my health has deteriorated [in] the last year.

"So I don't know how much longer I shall continue, but if I can do a little I shall be happy."

A host of famous faces from Norfolk have also been recognised.

Actor Stephen Fry has been knighted, former F1 driver and broadcaster Martin Brundle has been appointed OBE and musician Myleene Klass has been appointed MBE.

Other people from Norfolk who have been named on The King's New Year Honours List include:

• Sophie Ellis, 49, from Mileham, has been awarded a British Empire Medal (BEM) for services to charity in Norfolk

• Ann Osborn, 71, from Diss, has been awarded a BEM for services to older people and combatting loneliness in the communities of Suffolk and Norfolk

• Rachel Blackburn, 58, from Norwich, is appointed MBE for services to the business community and to exports

• Richard Finney, 67, from Kings Lynn, is appointed MBE for services to international trade and to charity

• Peter Campbell Barrow, 73, from Norwich, is appointed MBE for charitable services to the community in Norfolk