County’s shining lights receive British Empire Medals in special ceremony

Five of the county’s shining lights have officially received the medals honouring their service to the community of Shropshire.

All five people were recipients of the British Empire Medal (BEM) in the King’s New Year’s Honours list.

Last week, they were officially presented with their medals by the county’s Lord Lieutenant, Anna Turner at a special ceremony at Shrewsbury Museum & Art Gallery for the occasion.

The recipients included Olive Arnold of Whitchurch pictured above – who was recognised for her services to the community in Bronington, Mabel Elsie Finnigan – the County Captain of Shropshire Ladies Bowls Team who was honoured for services to bowls, Richard Charles Fowler – recognised for services to libraries as ‘library lead’ of Harbury Community Library in Warwickshire, Paul Rushworth – for services to charity, and Kathleen Kynaston – for services to swimming and to the community in Shropshire.

Mr Rushworth, a Shrewsbury co- median and magician, received the BEM for his services to charity. The entertainer of 45 years was hon- oured for his work with Alzheim- er’s for Professionals, a charity he helped set up before lockdown.

Kathleen Kynaston, who now lives in Anglesey, was previous ly the chair of Shrewsbury Ama- teur Swimming Club. Formerly of

Baschurch, Kath got involved in swimming after her son took up the sport in 2008 and she saw the need for volunteers to help out.

Alongside running her own suc- cessful business Kath, a mother of four, volunteered in a number of roles in swimming before being elected as chairman of Shrewsbury Amateur Swimming Club in 2015.

She was also a swimming official, including for para-swimming, as well as a member of the Shropshire Amateur Swimming Association (ASA) Committee – and ultimately President of Shropshire ASA.

Mabel Finnigan, from Madeley, Telford, has been widely saluted as the rock of women’s bowling in Shropshire and has devoted much of her adult life to promoting and organising the sport she still loves.

Mabel was the founder and sole secretary of the Telford Ladies’ Afternoon League for 30 years, the treasurer of the Shrewsbury Ladies’ League for 27 years, and county team captain and official of the Shropshire Ladies’ Association.

Before taking on the high-profile roles she was a high-class bowler in her own right.

Speaking following the presentations the Lord-Lieutenant said it had been an honour to present the medals.

She said: “It is always a huge pleasure to meet in person the people you have read about in the citations and just hear their stories.

“And inevitably the citation only touches on the wonderful things they are doing in the community – and this afternoon was no exception, they were five wonderful British Empire Medallists.”

Credit  – Dominic Robertson, Shropshire Star