Civil servant's 29 years devotion to the Crownrewarded with Imperial Service Medal

Marion Messett, 66, of Lower Park Road, received the Imperial Service Medal this week after spending 29 years in the civil service, the last 17 of which she spent working for the Ministry of Defence. In that time the Prime Minister has changed five times and ministers have come and gone even more regularly.

Mrs Messett has now retired, but travelled up to London to receive the medal at a special ceremony.

She said: “It was a lovely day and I did not know what to expect but there were friends and colleagues and people who I had started work with.

“It’s the sort of medal they give to people on the lower grade and I have got the citation to frame, but I will probably put the medal away once I have shown it to my grandchildren.

“I loved the job and particularly enjoyed working with the military leaders. They were a really nice group of people there and the work could be very exciting at times, even though it was busy and there could be long hours.”

Mrs Messett admitted she won’t miss the commute up to London but said: “I did think about leaving a few times but then something happens and you just go on and on.”