AN Army veteran who has spent the last 11 years helping women like herself, including people who worked at the SAS camp near Hereford, has been recognised in the Queen's Birthday Honours.

The vice president and chair of trustees at the Women's Royal Army Corps Association Colonel (Rtd) Alison Kay Brown, from Ross-on-Wye, has been awarded a OBE.

Saying the news had not yet sunk in, she felt stunned and chuffed to be recognised for her work with the charity, set up in 1949 to support women who have served in the armed forces.

After spending more than 20 years in the Army, where she rose to the rank of Colonel, she said she wanted to support women like herself after she retired.

Colonel (Rtd) Brown, who was born in Malvern and joined the forces in 1984, said the charity runs branches across the country, and the one in Hereford supports some Second World War and SAS veterans.

She was head of the charity for seven years, before becoming its vice president and the chair of trustees.

"Women's Royal Army Corps Association is a charity that exists to assist female veterans, women who have served in the Army, like myself.

"Having served in the Army myself, I've got an interest in helping female veterans.

"The charity does two things. First, in distributes money, grants, to female veterans to help them in whatever way they need help.

"And secondly, it acts a membership organisation. It's for women to get together, talk to women about their times in the Army and just make new friends and keep in touch with old ones.

"It's a two-pronged charity, and i was lucky enough to be head of it for seven years."

Before the coronavirus pandemic, around 80 people were members of the charity's Hereford branch.

This included people who worked at the SAS camp in Credenhill, and the connection with the Royal British Legion in Hereford was strong.

For more information about teh Hereford branch, visit: wracassociation.org/branches/hereford/