The great and the good gathered at St Lawrence's Church on Sunday to honour a 97-year-old York woman who insists she's done nothing special.
Among those turning out for evensong as Rene Braithwaite was presented with her BEM by the Lord-Lieutenant of North Yorkshire, Jo Ropner, was York's Lord Mayor, Chris Cullwick; the Sheriff of York, Ashley Mason; and the Bishop of Selby, John Thomson.
"There were lots of very important people there - I don't think I've ever seen so many!" said Fr Adam Romanis, the priest in charge at St Lawrence's. "The Lord Lieutenant, the Lord Mayor, the Sheriff, the Bishop of Selby. And they were all there because of Rene!
Rene, who lives off Lawrence Street, ran a club for elderly people in York for nearly seven decades.
She was born in St Lawrence’s parish in 1924, and helped her mother Annie ‘Ciss’ Milner run the WRVS-led “Darby and Joan” club for elderly people after the Second World War, providing outings, teas and special events in what was then the Adult School in James Street.
When James Street was re-developed, they were invited to move the club to St Lawrence’s Church Hall and it became The Lawrence Street Over Sixties Club.
It continued to run at 2pm every Monday until spring 2020, when the Covid pandemic forced it to close temporarily close.
Rene was officially awarded the British Empire Medal last June at the age of 96, in recognition of her contribution to the community
But because of the Covid pandemic, it wasn't until Sunday that she could be presented with it.
The ceremony was, she admitted, a bit overwhelming. "I didn't think the Lord Mayor would be there!" she said. "And the sheriff. And the bishop. And all my friends, and nephews and nieces. They all came. It was beautiful. I loved every minute of it!"
Lord Mayor Chris Cullwick said it had been an honour to be there as Rene received her medal.
"She has served her local community faithfully since her youth and is still doing so at the age of 97," he said. "She is such an amazing woman and an inspiration for us all!"
Rene has now decided that, at 97, she can't continue running the club.
But she still bakes regularly for church events, points out Nick Beilby, a member of the congregation.
"She's amazing!" Nick said. "A feisty 97-year-old who cares about everybody."
About 130 members of the church's congregation turned out for the ceremony altogether, Nick said.
"You think about what Rene's done for 70 years, and yet she's so humble. She doesn't think she's done anything special - but everybody else does! She is such an inspiration to us all - and her award so richly deserved."
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