The chairman of the Watford Blind Centre, Susan Harper, received her British Empire Medal from the Lord Lieutenant of Hertfordshire, Countess Verulam on Tuesday.

Mrs Harper was conferred with the BEM for her work with visually impaired people in the town in the Queen’s Birthday honours in June.

At the time she said: "It was a great honour to receive the medal. My mother had received the award previously, for voluntary work, and it's great to have two in the family."

Sue’s mother was Renee Milton who founded the centre more than 60 years ago. It now bears her name as the Renee Milton Hall.

The centre, in Cross Street, provides support and activities for partially sighted and blind people in the town.

Ms Harper said: "It's wonderful to see how people develop and see them happy and interacting with others within the community, which is really what the centre's about. I've had a lot of support and help from all the volunteers, whose hard work I couldn't manage without."

Councillors Ian and Jan Brown represented Watford Borough Council at the ceremony at County Hall and are pictured with Mrs Harper (centre).

After the ceremony Jan Brown said: "Susan is one of our many unsung heroes in Watford for all the charitable work she has done over the years for blind and partially sighted people."

Terry Downes, the former world champion boxer from Oxhey, was also awarded the BEM at the ceremony for his work with many boxing charities.

Jan added: "It was a lovely afternoon at County Hall, seeing 5 people acknowledged for the work they do in the community - and two of them local to Watford."