Queen’s honour for Wragby woman at heart of community

A Wragby woman has been awarded a British Empire Medal (BEM) for stepping up to the plate during the pandemic.
Norma Higton, second right, with, from left, Judy Dixon, Fiona Blackburn,  and Kath Edmondson,who worked every week for the past 15 months.
Photo by John Edwards EMN-210614-152742001Norma Higton, second right, with, from left, Judy Dixon, Fiona Blackburn,  and Kath Edmondson,who worked every week for the past 15 months.
Photo by John Edwards EMN-210614-152742001
Norma Higton, second right, with, from left, Judy Dixon, Fiona Blackburn, and Kath Edmondson,who worked every week for the past 15 months. Photo by John Edwards EMN-210614-152742001

Norma Higton was one of many people recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for supporting their community through what has been an extraordinary year.

She said: “I was very surprised and honoured to receive such an award, but this isn’t for me, it is for the whole community of Wragby; for every person who came out and did their bit in the pandemic.”

For more than a year, Norma and her team of volunteers have been providing meals to those self-isolating or vulnerable due to the pandemic.

Norma Higton BEM is poctured centre, with those  who helped with the meals during the pandemic, from left, Judy Dixon, Jane Warner, Fiona Blackburn,  Alisha Blackburn, Alison Annis and Kath Edmondson. Photo by John EdwardsNorma Higton BEM is poctured centre, with those  who helped with the meals during the pandemic, from left, Judy Dixon, Jane Warner, Fiona Blackburn,  Alisha Blackburn, Alison Annis and Kath Edmondson. Photo by John Edwards
Norma Higton BEM is poctured centre, with those who helped with the meals during the pandemic, from left, Judy Dixon, Jane Warner, Fiona Blackburn, Alisha Blackburn, Alison Annis and Kath Edmondson. Photo by John Edwards

This built on the Wragby ChEF (Children eat Free) initiative, which was formed three years ago to enable children to have free meals during the school holidays.

Norma said: “When the pandemic struck and lockdown started, the school gave us the full use of the Hansards Hive so our team of volunteers could use it safely and ‘Collect and Go’ was born.”

Children would go along each day to collect a packed lunch and take it home and by the end of 2020, they had served 9,756 meals.

Norma said: “This couldn’t have been done without our head of food Fiona Blackburn, helped by a band of wonderful, hardworking volunteers, who didn’t think their morning was complete unless they had buttered seven loaves.”

Wragby Chapel then opened its doors to the group, which meant they could use the kitchen to make hot meals.

At the same time as organising the children, they were asked if they could offer anything to those self isolating or vulnerable and so Wragby Emergency Meals on Wheels was born.

The group was joined by helpers from the chapel, Kath Edmondson and Judy Dixon, who have volunteered for every Wednesday and Friday lunch since April 2020.

To date, the group has made 3,378 meals, including a full Christmas lunch, where eight people from the village gave up a couple of hours from their own Christmas Day to make sure everyone had a meal delivered.

Norma added: “The businesses in Wragby have all done their bit too.

“Wisby Butchers and Polly’s produce delivered throughout the pandemic.

“Thorne’s at Rand supplied us with puddings for our meals on wheels every Wednesday throughout the first lockdown.

“Dhindsa’s would order us seven loaves of bread every day and the ladies in the Co-op were all looking out for things we needed for the lunches.”

The team at Wragby ChEF did all this despite some of its committee shielding themselves.

Norma said: “We couldn’t have done it without the support of the whole village.”

People would turn out at 9pm to collect Fareshare donations from Tesco at Lincoln; the parish council manned an emergency helpline; Steve Cripps delivered prescriptions; students and young people went in to make cakes; other villagers donated fruit from their gardens - the list goes on.

Norma added: “We were helped by so many people.

“We are grateful for the Covid grant; district and county councillors made donations, as well as many individuals.

“One lovely couple bought Christmas lunch for everyone.

“This is just a flavour of what communities can do when everyone pulls together and I hope Wragby will continue to be the caring village it has shown itself to be.”