British Empire Medal awarded for mother of four's services to swimming in Shropshire

Kath Kynaston, formerly of Baschurch, has been awarded the honour for her services to swimming and to the community in Shropshire.

Kath’s youngest son, Michael Doyle, started competitive swimming in 2008 and she said it was soon after that she saw the need for volunteers in order for swimming clubs to operate successfully.

Alongside running her own successful business, Kath, a mother of four, volunteered in a number of roles in swimming before being elected as chairman of Shrewsbury Amateur Swimming Club in 2015.

She served until 2020 during which time she turned the club around from dwindling membership, failing finances and lethargy to one of the most successful clubs in Shropshire.

As well as encouraging swimmers to do their best, they were also encouraged to give something back, with many going on to train as swimming teachers, coaches, lifeguards and officials.

Kath herself was a swimming official, including for para-swimming, giving many hours at galas across the region.

She was also a member of the Shropshire Amateur Swimming Association (ASA) Committee and was ultimately elected President of Shropshire ASA.

During her time in Shropshire Kath held a great number of voluntary roles including setting up a new Brownie pack to satisfy demand in Baschurch and becoming 'Brown Owl', a role many of the girls, now adults themselves, remember her for.

She was also one of a small team running a junior youth group at Shrewsbury Roman Catholic Cathedral for a number of years, as well as being editor of the Baschurch Newsletter for five years.

She served a four-year term as a governor of the Corbet School in Baschurch, was secretary of the Corbet PTA for five years and secretary of Baschurch Conservatives, also for five years.

Kath, who was born in Oswestry, had lived in Shropshire all her life until moving to Anglesey just over a year ago with a view to retiring.

However, she soon felt the need to be doing something useful again and is now working full-time as a medical secretary at Ysbyty Gwynedd, Bangor, the largest hospital in North Wales – as well as volunteering in her local RNLI shop.

Kath said she was "extremely proud" to have received the honour and offered her sincere thanks all those who put the time and effort into nominating her.