I thought it was all a scam, admits BEM recipient Patricia, 77

» It’s a sign of the times that when 77-year-old Patricia Mcculloch received an email saying she was being honoured by the Queen she originally thought it was a scam.

Luckily she mentioned it to her daughter Alison before deleting the email and learned she really had been chosen to receive a British Empire Medal.

“Once I realised it wasn’t a scam I was really pleased and humbled,” she explained.

“There are so many of these things going around that I nearly deleted it.”

Mum-of-three Patricia first started volunteering at the Cancer Research UK shop in the Oxbode, Gloucester soon after it opened in 1988.

Patricia has twice had cancer and lost her husband Ted to the disease about three years ago. Last year her 52-year-old daughter was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Covid-19 has put paid to her voluntary work, but she is looking forward to going back the shop at least one day a week.

“It was the best thing I ever did and as soon as I have had the vaccine I will be back.” she said of the time she joined to try and put something back into the community.

» Tracy Wren, who joined Gloucestershire Constabulary in 2004, has been recognised with the BEM for making a ‘significant difference’ with her hands on approach to police work.

Dubbed a “force of nature” by her boss, Tracy has been the co-ordinator of the Constabulary’s ground-breaking cadet scheme since 2015 and pioneered the Treasure Seeker cadets in 2018.

Working in partnership with the Kingfisher Treasure Seekers, people with learning difficulties have carried out a number of tasks within the community.

According to her citation this has helped the public see the ways in which adults with learning disabilities can contribute to society.

It says her drive, focus and determination was far beyond anything expected of any member of staff and she dedicated thousands of hours of her personal time to the cadets.

It was she who personally grew the programme from 20 to 90 cadets, many of whom become full-time police officers after they turned 18.

Tracy said she was accepting the award on behalf of the team of volunteer leaders and the cadets.

She said: “Gloucestershire police cadets would not be possible without their dedication. I am so proud to receive this honour on behalf of us all.

“I am particularly proud of our Treasure Seeker cadets, who were brought into the police family in 2018. This initiative has seen them achieve and grow so much.

Tracy previously worked as a Police Community Support Officer in Wottonunder-edge and Stonehouse.