The chairman of Three Rivers Museum of Local History has been awarded an MBE for her services to heritage.

Barbara Owen, who lives in Rickmansworth, was completely shocked when she received a letter telling her she was on the New Year list.

The 90-year-old said: “It hasn’t really sunk in yet - it’s a funny sort of feeling.

“You hear about other people getting it and think how lovely it must be for them.

“If you want to do something you just do it, you don’t think about doing it for a reward.”

The mother-of-four, who has been the museum’s chairman for ten years, is also an active member of the Rickmansworth Society.

“My parents were both involved in the society, especially my mother, so I grew up with it.

“My mother had Rickmansworth on her heart - she was so committed to the place.”

Before her time at the museum, Mrs Owen worked as a food technology teacher at a many different schools across Watford and Rickmansworth, including Joan of Arc and Queens’.

She added: “I found it quite interesting to see all the different types of schools and I got to teach a lot of children.”

The enthusiastic chairman is full of thanks to all her colleagues at the museum who put her forward for the MBE.

She said: “You don’t do it on your own - everyone plays a big part in it.”