Lynne follows in dad’s footsteps to become an MBE

A HONITON woman has become an MBE – just like her dad.

Lynne Cooper was given the New Year honour for her services to the voluntary sector.

The Queen granted her father John Brown the same award in 2008 for his work with St John Ambulance.

Now a Sergeant with Dorset Police, Lynne lived with her father, mum Pauline and brother Ian at their Exeter Road home until she was 16, attending the town’s community college.

Her voluntary work has included leadership roles with many youth organisations including Raleigh and the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, involving her in trips to India, Kenya and South Africa.

In 1995 she was awarded the Ralph Longman Memorial Trophy for her services to the Open Award Centre at Ferndown and in 1998 attended a reception at Buckingham Palace to recognise her achievements.

Lynne has worked with the Prince’s Trust Volunteers as a team leader and franchise co-ordinator.

For more than 20 years she has been a volunteer helper for a charity providing camping holidays for physically disabled adults which also includes running her own camp for the past five years, all of which is done on her annual leave.

She regularly takes part in fundraising events such as the Three Peaks Challenge, for the Ladybird (breast cancer) Appeal.

In 2009 she was the only female member of the Team Munros Mariners re-enacting the Cockleshell Heroes mission from the Second World War, paddling a similar boat to theirs along the 70 mile Gironde River to raise money for Poole Hospital, SBS and Police Benevolent charities.

Lynne is currently a Response Sergeant at Ferndown. Her many duties include being a search advisor for missing persons, a member of the hazardous environment search team and a member of Dorset’s body recovery personnel, trained in the harrowing task of victim recovery from serious or major incidents.