Brenda Thwaites, a founder member of the Teesdale branch of Cancer Research UK, received the honour during a glamorous ceremony at the Merchant Taylors’ Hall, in London, in recognition of more than 40 years’ service to the charity.
The award was made by Cancer Research UK chief executive Sir Harpal Kumar.
Mrs Thwaites, an artist from Cotherstone, was among a group of Women’s Institute members who started the Teesdale committee for the charity in 1974 after holding a community event.
She said: “We did a concert called Around the World and it was so popular. We only raised £140, which was a lot of money in those days, and we thought, ‘well what are we going to do with that?’.
“Then we decided to give it to Cancer Research UK. It snowballed from there.”
The effectiveness of the Teesdale group is confirmed in a citation that accompanied the award given to Ms Thwaites, which reads: “As treasurer and founding member of the Teesdale Cancer UK Group, Brenda has been supporting the charity for 43 years and has helped raise over £900,000.”
Now the group aims to reach £1million.
Ms Thwaites said: “This year, or next year, they probably will have reached it. It is remarkable.”
In the year up to November 2016 the group raised £65,000 from about 60 events including an annual Christmas fair, coach trips, quizzes, tombolas, raffles, selling refreshments, making collections, coffee mornings and an annual ball hosted by Butler and Gee accountants.
A particularly successful fundraising activity was a parachute jump by Eileen Watson to celebrate her 80th birthday.
Ms Thwaites, 79, is considering doing the same for her 80th birthday. She said: “I think I might do it, but my birthday is in December so I might have to do it in the snow.”
She is no stranger to taking on challenges, having completed the three peaks challenge in Yorkshire and tackling the Grange over Sands challenge to raise cash for Cancer Research UK.
Ms Thwaites said: “Over the years we have had lots of fun and laughter. But also a great deal of sadness.
“Whatever sadness families have gone through, they don’t give up, but come back stronger and more determined to stand up to cancer.”
Along with her activities and serving on the committee, Ms Thwaites has used her painting skills to produce of Christmas cards of iconic Teesdale scenes in the past. In recent years images produced by dale photographer Mark Brownless have been used for the Christmas cards.
Teesdale Cancer Research UK also arranges links between cancer scientists from Newcastle and dale residents.
Ms Thwaites said: “The scientists are absolutely brilliant. There is always one comes down from Newcastle to give us a talk and they love to come to Teesdale.
“We have been to the lab a few times.
“They are interesting to go to and it is lovely to see what they are doing.”
Ms Thwaites was nominated for the honorary fellowship by area co-ordinator Janet Leaf.
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