Jan Bailey, 71, has been volunteering as the minutes secretary of the Raynes Park and West Barnes Residents’ Association for 14 years.

The organisation was formed in 1928 primarily because of recurrent flooding in the Pyl Brook (West Barnes) Valley, something that Jan quickly realised they should be more involved in.

After working towards a better anti-flooding system, Ms Bailey, who lives in Raynes Park, has finally had her years of intense work recognised by being nominated for a Merton Civic Award.

"It was quite amazing that someone nominated me," she said.

"Usually you just do your job and get on with it, most people don’t even say thank you."

Thanks to her work, a flood wash which manages excess flood water during heavy rain was finally installed in Wimbledon in 2012, something the council had been trying to accomplish since 1965, 24 years before she even moved to the area.

Jan said she was not educated in environmental issues in a conventional way and learnt what she knows from a man named Joseph Stewart King, metropolitan chief sewers and rivers civil engineer for Birmingham City Council.

By spending time with him, she learnt all there is to know about flood control and was able to put her knowledge into good use when she started volunteering for the residents’ association in 2001.

She had come to Raynes Park in 1989 and as soon as she ended her job in an advertising company, she jumped straight into local affairs.

Jan contributed largely to the council's Strategic Flood Risk Assessment which became part of the Pitt Report resulting in the 2010 Flood and Water Management Act.

As a result, Ms Bailey said the council now cleans the road gulleys annually and in 2012 the Environment Agency installed the Beverley Brook Flood Wash at Worcester Park and in the downpours of Christmas Day 2012 no local homes were flooded.

She also gets involved on other projects, such as being part of the Lambton Road Medical Centre's Patient Participation Group, and trying to encourage property development to attract more people to the area.

In 2007 Ms Bailey was voted honorary secretary to the Association but, exhausted, gave up this post after two years.

However, the new honourary secretary left after a year and Jan was voted co-honourary secretary with Jill Truman who is also the editor of the Association's Guide.

There is still time to nominate someone special for a Merton Civic Award.

Nominate them here www.wimbledonguardian.co.uk/mertoncivicawards/ or fill out a form in the newspaper.