Powys housekeeper awarded BEM for services to historic home and charity
A Powys housekeeper has been celebrated for her dedicated service to heritage and charity, after being awarded a British Empire Medal.
Christine Horton has been awarded a British Empire Medal for, among other things, her years of dedication to a historic country house.
Christine served as a nanny to Lady Linlithgow in 1990 when she and her family moved into Bryngwyn Hall in Llanfyllin to take on the mammoth restoration programme on the Grade II listed 18th Century manor.
Over the years, she took on a multitude of other tasks, from housekeeper to personal assistant, to gardener and head chef.
Each year, her fundraising at the Bryngwyn Summer Fayre raises hundreds for charity and she is well known in Llansantffraid for her work within the community, and from her role as chair of Bwlch-y-Cibau WI.
Lord-Lieutenant of Powys Mrs Tia Jones made the presentation to Christine at Bryngwyn Hall near Llanfyllin on Wednesday, November 23.
Her employer, and good friend, Lady Linlithgow, said: "She played a vital role in contributing to what is now a well recognised very important part of Welsh Heritage which has opened its doors to the public for functions and events and organising the large staff needed to facilitate these events.
"Christine is the essential good neighbour and has drawn together the community in which she lives in Llansantffraid taking particular care of any elderly neighbours and driving them if necessary to medical and other appointments.
"Anyone who is lucky enough to meet or work with Christine finds her a highly intelligent, humorous and very special person with high standards of a generation that is now passing.
"Without the assistance of Christine Horton this house and garden would not have been rescued, nor would so many people in the locality have found employment.
"Above all else Christine has shown a loyalty and dedication to me, my family and Bryngwyn, which is now a very important part of Welsh built heritage. Her sense of humour has kept us all going in darker more taxing times."
During her time at the manor, Miss Horton has featured in several documentaries, including Channel 4's Can't Get the Staff and How The Other Half Live and the BBC's A Summer in Wales.
