Village community champion presented with royal honour
A pensioner who has given remarkable voluntary service to his home community at Wymeswold has been presented with a British Empire Medals (BEM).
Peter Blount, who is 75, was announced as one of the recipients on the King’s Birthday Honours list back in June.
And he was presented with his medal this month by the Vice Lord-Lieutenant of Leicestershire, Colonel Murray Colville TD DL, at an investiture at County Hall in Glenfield.
Mr Blount has been involved in supporting several local groups and charitable causes, including being a lay preacher at St Mary’s Church in the village and running an after-school club for the local primary school.
He has also volunteered for the East Midlands Ambulance Service as a Community First Responder and organised CPR training for residents and interactive first aid sessions for primary school children.
His other voluntary work includes his role as Group Scout Leader for the 1st Wolds Scout Group.
In addition, Mr Blount helps organise the annual ‘Duck Race’ event, being the driving force behind the village’s annual Remembrance Day service and serving as a governor at Wymeswold Primary School.
After his honour was announced in the summer, he told the Melton Times: “I was both shocked and surprised to get the award.
"The voluntary ambulance service and the Scout groups are passions of mine and I just get on and do things.
"I do it quietly and I’m really surprised this has happened."
Mr Blount was one of three Leicestershire people to receive a BEM at two ceremonies this month.
The others were Maureen O’Malley, for services to the community in Market Harborough, and Coalville man Mark Storer, for services to charitable fundraising for people with cancer.
Following the presentations, Vice Lord-Lieutenant of Leicestershire, Col Colville, commented: “I am delighted to present these honours to three Leicestershire residents who have dedicated themselves to the wellbeing of their communities.
“Their wonderful and selfless contributions have been rightly recognised, and it is a real pleasure and privilege for me, in my role as Vice-Lord-Lieutenant, to present these honours to them on behalf of His Majesty the King.”