A ‘great honour’ and ‘very humbling’ – Boston-area community figure received British Empire Medal

A dedicated community figure in the Boston area has been honoured for her decades of voluntary work in support of others.
British Empire Medal holder Sheila Lymer.British Empire Medal holder Sheila Lymer.
British Empire Medal holder Sheila Lymer.

Sheila Lymer, 72, of Frampton, was recently presented with a British Empire Medal by the Lord-Lieutenant of Lincolnshire Toby Dennis for services to the community in Boston.

Gipsey Bridge-born Sheila was put forward for the distinction by her sisters Beryl Sands and Elizabeth Wilkinson.

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In their nomination, they described Sheila as a ‘pillar of her community’ and spoke of such activities as: raising thousands of pounds for Action for Children (formerly National Children’s Home) following the sudden death of her youngest son Peter in 1991, when he was aged nine; fostering 30 children; acting as a committee member for Boston in Bloom; helping vulnerable people on nights out in Boston as a street pastor; visiting local schools as a member of Kirton Methodist Church to read Bible stories through the Open the Book scheme, and donating more than 100 pints of blood.

Sheila, who before her retirement at 65 was an assistant physiotherapist, working with disabled children and their families, put her drive down to her faith, but also a comment made by her father.

“My Dad used to say ‘don’t waste a minute, you won’t get that minute back again,” she said.

She said it felt ‘unreal’ to receive the award, but added it was a ‘great honour’ and ‘very humbling’.

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