A churchwarden has received a bronze medal from the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) after 20 years’ service to the charity.

Mother-of-four Janet Pickles, of St Stephen’s Road in Steeton, was presented with the medal in a ceremony at York Racecourse along with 78 other people from across the North.

Mrs Pickles, a churchwarden at St Stephen’s Church who helps to run family business RA Medical Services, has served on the Keighley Lifeboat Guild Committee in various roles over the last two decades, helping to raise funds.

She told the Keighley News: “I was shocked when I received the letter telling me about the award – it was a wonderful event.

“I think when you live somewhere landlocked like Keighley it is easy to forget about the important work the RNLI does compared with if you live in a seaside town and you see the rescue boat going out every day.

“There were some amazing people receiving rewards – some who had served much longer than me.”

Val Nixon, RNLI senior fundraising manager for the North, said that those who received awards all performed vital roles for the charity, whether they were fundraisers, a member of the lifeboat station management group, school presenters or people who run the shops.

She added: “We should never forget that the life-saving work of the RNLI’s lifeboat men and women is only made possible by the hard work of many thousands of other volunteers which goes on in the background but is nonetheless crucial.”