Royal recognition for Crawley resident

Jenny, 74, was born in Bedale, North Yorkshire. She graduated from Hull University (where she met her future husband, Neil) and then did a post graduate teacher training course in Reading. She and Neil married in 1974 and moved firstly to Reigate and then, in 1981, to Crawley where they both still live.

She began her career as a Maths teacher but gave up teaching to look after her children, Lucy and Mark. Jenny started attending the Pound Hill and Worth Parent and Toddler group over 35 years ago when her children were toddlers. For over 25 years she has run the group herself on a purely voluntary basis. It is for this service to the community that she was awarded the British Empire Medal in the New Year’s Honours list. Jenny is very proud to have received the award but is quick to acknowledge others who have helped over the years. Nevertheless it is Jenny who has kept the group running, recognising how important it is to provide opportunities for pre-school children to develop both socially and emotionally. Many families have benefited from the group over the years and it now has adults bringing their own children to the group that they attended themselves as children! Jenny says “It came as quite a surprise, but a very pleasing one, to receive a letter telling me that I would be in the New Year’s Honours List. I wasn’t allowed to tell anyone until the list was published. It was wonderful to attend a Garden Party at Buckingham Palace.” The medal itself was presented by the Lord Lieutenant of West Sussex on 28 June at, fittingly, St Barnabas’ Church in Pound Hill where the Toddler Group meets.