A WOMAN described as “the driving force” behind a Newcastle Emlyn mental health charity has been awarded an MBE in the New Year’s Honours.

Maureen Spowart Davies, Secretary of Trustees of HUTS Workshop, received the award for voluntary service to people with mental health challenges.

But Mrs Davies, 69, - widely known as ‘Mo’ locally – told the Cambrian News she at first thought the letter informing her of her nomination was a prank: and considered husband Alan a prime suspect!

“When I saw the term ‘your obedient servant’ my first thought was that it was a scam,” she said.

“I remember thinking: ‘is this for real or is it my husband having a bit of a laugh?’ That’s just the sort of thing he would do.

“But having established it was in fact real I experienced the most wonderful feeling. To receive something like this is really stunning and I still can’t quite believe it.

“The hardest part was not being allowed to initially share it with friends because of the embargo imposed.

“An award like this is good for this part of the world. The fact mental health is now being talked about more and more can only be a good thing.

“We all work very hard at HUTs and helping to get rid of the stigma surrounding mental health is one of our biggest objectives.”

Mrs Davies was said to have been successful in accessing in excess of £575,000 in Lottery grants to enable HUTS Workshop charity (Help Us To Survive) to buy and refurbish an old community building.

The money also goes towards paying for professional staff to aid sufferers of both physical and mental breakdowns.

The citation continued: “She continues to make an incredible contribution to the running of the workshop on a daily basis. She has been instrumental in progressing HUTS from a room in a Mental Health Resource Centre to the accommodation it occupies today.

“The new building was previously owned by the local rugby club, she personally met with neighbouring owners to discuss any concern that they had.

“HUTS is a charity that helps adults with mental health problems, offering help and support to those who are suffering and recovering from psychiatric illness.

“She was also the driving force, almost single-handedly, behind the conversion and funding of an old church school into a thriving community hall in 2005.

“Through her expertise and determination to succeed she obtained the grants needed to transform the hall which is used by many charities and local groups.”