A FORMER district councillor who has devoted over 30 years to serving the local community is to be given an MBE.

Janet Wood, former district councillor for Coaley and Uley, was named in the Queen’s Birthday Honour’s list after local residents teamed up to nominate her.

She held her seat as an independent for 27 years, seeing the move to Ebley Mill, the poll tax being brought in and then later being abandoned, and the building of Dursley Pool. She is still a parish council member after joining in 1976.

The mother-of-two, who lives in Uley with husband John, said she was overwhelmed when she received the news.

"I was absolutely stunned. It was so good of everyone to nominate me, I wasn’t expecting it at all," said Mrs Wood, a former volunteer at Stroud Citizen’s Advice Bureau and eventually chairman of CAB South West.

"There are an awful lot of local people in the village who work their socks off as volunteers and I would like to pay tribute to them and I am astonished to be picked out to receive the honour."

Mrs Wood, 65, stepped down from her district council role last year to spend more time with her grandchildren, but she continues to be involved in many local projects.