A Wimbledon swimmer was shocked and amazed to be among those honoured on the queen's birthday.
Jane Asher has been involved in club swimming for decades, and at 87 years old continues to compete for Wimbledon's Kings Cormorants Swimming Club.
It was this longevity in the sport, as well as her years of inspiring others in teaching that saw her awarded a BEM last week.
She couldn't believe it when she was told the good news.
“I was luckily sitting on a chair when I opened the letter telling me, otherwise I would have fallen down," she said.
"I’m amazed, I can’t believe I’ve been honoured for my volunteering because it is so much fun."
Ms Asher is currently competing at the British Masters Championships 2018 in Plymouth and even has a few records to her name.
“My voluntary work started a long time ago and I got to know an enormous number of people over the years," she said.
"We started a masters club because there weren’t many about.
"There are members of that squad that are here competing with me at the British Masters Championships, 30 years after we got it started. It’s fantastic."
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