Dame Helen, who is from Hertfordshire, was nominated by Watford Rotary Club and received her award following a virtual ceremony on Wednesday alongside 11 other recipients as well as last year’s winners.

Held annually, Community Champions are part of the Rotary’s Champions Awards, which recognises unsung heroes whose volunteering efforts have had a huge impact on people’s lives both at home and internationally.

Dame Helen recently stepped in to help a local interfaith group who had set up One Vision.The project aimed to provide food for vulnerable adults and children in North Watford during the recent lockdown.

She became patron and trustee and helped to bring together all the different parties involved to ensure that daily food parcels and meals were delivered to individuals who were either self-isolating or families who relied on free school meals.

She works closely with a number of people including MP Dean Russell, mayor Peter Taylor, Watford Borough Council, the Lord Lieutenant and County Sheriff, as well as a host of volunteers, to ensure the meals are delivered on time.

And along with help of restaurants, church groups, generous donations from the public and Watford Rotary Club, which donated £4,000 of its charity funds to help purchase ingredients, the project has continued to grow.

Dame Helen Hyde said: "I am humbled by this award and it is really an award for those who work so hard to make One Vision so successful."

Tom Griffin, President of Rotary International in Great Britain & Ireland, said: "This project has been widely recognised by local leaders as being exemplary. Dame Helen stepped in to help the organisation.

"She runs the food hub three days a week ensuring that all parties involved work together to successfully deliver a staggering amount of food parcels and essential items to local communities.

"One Vision has become a registered charity, thus enabling them to be able to tap into surplus supermarket food deliveries, a smart move, which not only reduced local food waste but meant that the team could then redistribute it to those most in need.

"The Champions Awards is about giving those who pioneer, lead and support some amazing volunteering projects the recognition they deserve."