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Manton community champion awarded British Empire Medal for services to Rutland village in King’s Birthday Honours




A retired teacher was “amazed” to be named in the King’s Birthday Honours List for “doing something I really enjoy”.

Anne Cowan is to receive a British Empire Medal (BEM) for services to the community of Manton after decades of services to her home village.

She somehow managed to combine a busy teaching job at a school for special needs children, and bringing up two children with community roles as churchwarden and on the Manton’s Village Hall committee.

Anne Cowan has been awarded a British Empire Medal for her community work in Manton
Anne Cowan has been awarded a British Empire Medal for her community work in Manton

“I had quite a demanding day job, and bringing up my family as well, but we did a lot because I always felt that village community life was very important,” she said.

See other recipients here

“I was absolutely amazed that anybody would give me an honour for doing something which actually I really enjoy doing and reap many benefits from.

“I feel very, very honoured and very humbled too. It’s an incredible thing.”

Keen to contribute, Anne joined the village hall committee soon after moving to the Rutland village 40 years ago, and has organised many social events.

She also put a lot into helping and supporting the elderly and vulnerable in the village during covid.

“You do what you can for a community when you live within a community,” Anne said.

“You try to make it a pleasurable place for everybody to live, including yourself, and we've been very lucky in that we've hit this village at the right time when there are a lot of like-minded people.

“But you do need somebody just to instigate a few things, so I've been fortunate in that when I've suggested things and organised things, people come.

“We are a very proactive and happy village.”

She added the role of churchwarden at St Mary’s, in Manton, around eight years ago and helps to organise services and church fundraising events spread across the year.

They include monthly coffee mornings, lent lunches and carol singing.

Anne ‘reluctantly’ retired from teaching around three years ago, freeing up time for community work and family commitments, including looking after her two grandchildren.

“There’s always something happening, but everything’s pleasurable,” she said.

“My teaching work was fantastic - I absolutely loved it. It's hard work but very, very rewarding.”



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