FORMER pearly queen Madge Covey, 98, has been officially presented with her British Empire Medal awarded in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list of 2020 for her services to the Wellington Community.

The presentation, held over from last year because of Covid-19 restrictions, was made by the Lord Lieutenant of Somerset, Anne Mawe, at the Bath and West Show last Saturday. She was one of 20 to receive a BEM Medal at the event attended by a number of dignitaries.

“I enjoyed it immensely - I had a lovely day,” said Madge, who will be 99 on Christmas Eve. “We had champagne and cake and I was treated to dinner by my family in the evening.”

Madge, who moved to Wellington in 1992 from Southampton and has lived at Popham Flats for the last 15 years, has lived a very active and full life. However, she has found the last year ‘boring’.

As pearly queen she collected at Wellington Carnival and the street fair for many years, and was a standard bearer for the Royal British Legion from 1974 to 2010. She has sold poppies from the age of 11.

She has enjoyed skittles and was captain for 20 years of the High Street Blues who played at the local Conservative Club.

“I still manage to walk up to the town,” added Madge, who gave up driving only last year. “But I can’t go much further than that.”