AN ex-secretary at Kingsbridge Upper School between 1970 and 1989 has been given a BEM in the New Year’s Honours List.

Elizabeth Stevens, 88, said she is ‘flabbergasted’ at being awarded the British Empire Medal, for ‘services to the community in Loughborough, Leicestershire and charitable service to Disadvantaged People in Nepal.’

Elizabeth was a secretary at Kingsbridge Upper School, before the two schools were combined into Kingsbridge Community College, and worked under the late head teacher Margaret Lorenz who died in November 2014, and Al Parker as Deputy Head.

When she retired from Kingsbridge School in 1989, she moved to Loughborough, but her son still lives in Plymouth. She likes to return to Kingsbridge when she can and has ‘popped in’ to see KCC a few times.

Elizabeth’s son Mike nominated her for the honour, which she is being very humble about. She has been raising money for Nepal for years and was finally able to visit the country for three weeks, six years ago.

She was able to ride an elephant, visit the temples of Kathmandu, and saw the mountains from a microlight – something she describes as ‘the scariest thing I’ve ever done in my life’, but also ‘incredible’.

Elizabeth also witnessed the ‘terrific poverty’ and ‘beggars offering you everything’ while she was out there. But said ‘the people are very friendly, they don’t have much to offer but they are so generous’.

Elizabeth does most of her work for Nepal through the Christian International Nepal Fellowship. She also works in her local community with the Meals on Wheels, reading at local schools and as part of the Charnwood Listeners, a charity that helps listen to people’s problems.

She said ‘I’m 88 now so I’ve had to give a lot up’, but she also supports the Salvation Army. ‘Nothing very dramatic’ she concluded humbly.

Elizabeth will receive her BEM from the Lord Lieutenant of Leicestershire, Lady Jennifer Gretton, at a local presentation, but she is not sure when. She received a letter from her congratulating her and saying the presentation should take place around May or June.

She says she will take her sons as her guests and she is also ‘very excited’ to attend a garden party at Buckingham Palace.