A PRESTON volunteer is to be awarded an MBE after almost half-a-century of charity work.

Joan Hardcastle, of Sharoe Bay Court, in Sharoe Green Lane, has worked with the Women's Royal Voluntary Service (WRVS) for most of her life. For 41 years she has devoted her spare time to helping others.

The MBE rewards her hard work and the outstanding contribution she has made to charity while working on a voluntary basis in the local community.

Joan said: "I can't take it in, it is such an honour. It was a shock to find out I had been nominated for an MBE. It is lovely to know that voluntary work is recognised like this."

Joan is now the project organiser for the mobile library at Preston Royal Hospital, a service which she originally set up in 1980 with her late husband Bob. Joan said: "I would recommend charity work to anyone, as it certainly keeps me fit and active and I have thoroughly enjoyed all my years with WRVS."

As a tireless volunteer, Joan's career with the WRVS began in 1939 and, after a break to raise her family, she resumed her contribution to the WRVS in 1971. Since then she has helped in local hospitals and delivered meals on wheels, helped with blood donor sessions and worked with the confectionary trolley in Preston hospital.

The MBE will be the third award Joan has received. She has also been presented with a long service medal by the WRVS after 15 years helping the organisation and has a special pin for a further 12 years with the service which she received in 1990.

Margaret Mansfield, who has worked with Joan for more than 20 years, said: "Everyone that knows Joan was delighted to hear the news about the MBE. There could be no-one more deserving of this honour, as Joan is such a genuine, lovely person who has given up countless hours of her time to help WRVS."

Joan will collect her award from Buckingham Palace on November 16.

bhewes@lancashire.newsquest.co.uk