A HEREFORDSHIRE community stalwart who was recognised in the New Year Honours list has said it was thanks to her late husband's continued support.

Sally Robertson, a former county councillor from Burghill, was awarded a British Empire Medal for services to the community.

As well as her 12-year stint with Herefordshire Council, Mrs Robertson also spent time serving her local parish council.

Also involved with a number of other community projects, she said it was the support from her late husband Ian that spurred her on.

She said he was very encouraging and backed her in her community work, but he sadly died during the first coronavirus lockdown.

She was not able to see him in hospital due to Covid restrictions at the time.

A keen football fan, Mr Robertson started immunotherapy to treat cancer in January 2020 and was getting a lot of side effects resulting in him being unwell, his family said.

Hereford Times: Ian Robertson died during the first coronavirus lockdown in 2020Ian Robertson died during the first coronavirus lockdown in 2020

Sadly on April 19, 2020, he was rushed into hospital and had a very low immune system and died of sepsis the next day.

But Mrs Robertson, 66, said the medal was thanks to him.

Now spearheading a project for a new sports pavilion in the village, north of Hereford, she said it would benefit the whole parish.

Also helping with the Burghill community library, Burghill in Bloom and the production of local parish magazines, she said: "He [Ian] was my big supporter, I called him my Dennis Thatcher [husband of former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher].

"His brother died six months later so I've been having to look after them, but now I feel stronger and passionate about carrying on.

"He was a big supporter of me, my husband, and I couldn't have done a lot of things without his support.

"I'm honoured to have this award, not just for me, but for him and all the people in the community. It's a real honour."

She hopes real progress will now be made on the pavilion project, which she hopes will help people within the parish mentally.

The village's Copse Leisure Area was used a lot during the coronavirus lockdowns, Mrs Robertson said, and hoped people would continue supporting it as restrictions eased.

Other Herefordshire people recognised in the list were North Herefordshire MP Bill Wiggin, former West Midlands MEP Anthea McIntyre, Paralympian Dan Pembroke and Ross-on-Wye Councillor Jane Roberts.