A nonagenarian from Aldbourne near Marlborough has completed a rare family double – she’s been awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List 24 years after her daughter received the same honour.

Ishbel Sewell, who will be 91 next week, has been made a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire for services to the community in the Wiltshire village. Her daughter, a trained nurse and Red Cross aid worker, received her own award in 1993 for humanitarian services in Bosnia.

Mrs Sewell laughs: “I read the official letter three times before it dawned on me what it was saying. I feel really humbled that I was nominated for the award, not by people in the high echelons but by my fellow villagers, and I’m very proud of that.”

After moving to the village in 1959 Mrs Sewell joined the Women’s Institute. She went on to be President four times and is still a member.

Over the years she’s also been involved with the Scout and Guide movements, having co-founded the Aldbourne branch of the Girl Guides in 1963, and is still very interested in the work of the organisations.

In 1966 Mrs Sewell was one of the members of the village’s older people’s welfare committee which oversaw a new luncheon club to provide a hot meal. The club is still going strong and Mrs Sewell says: “We have 24 people who come to enjoy a three-course lunch every week, and I get drafted in when anybody’s absent!” She also set up the village’s Meals on Wheels service which delivers home-cooked food three times a week, and was the organiser for 24 years.

She has also served as as a parish and district councillor, school governor and tax commissioner with the Swindon Tax Court.

Today Mrs Sewell is still interested in village life, although she no longer plays such a central role. She says: “I’ll be 91 next week and I’m partially-sighted, so I feel it’s time for sitting back and watching now.”

She’s now looking forward to the investiture ceremony at Buckingham Palace, which will be arranged some time within the next seven months, and to her daughter being present, this time to see her mother receive her own MBE.

She adds: “I know what to expect, having seen the ceremony as a spectator, and to complete the family double will be something special.”