Linda Ruston, the now retired ex-manager of New Horizons day centre, was on Friday awarded a British Empire Medal for her services to social care.

The honour comes at the end of a 45-year career of working and volunteering to improve the lives of disabled people in Barry.

New Horizons day centre supports adults living with physical disabilities. It is run by the Vale of Glamorgan Council and seeks to meet the individual needs of its service users.

Linda joined the centre in March 2002 as a day service officer. She rose through the ranks and became manager in 2018.

When the pandemic struck, Linda and the team were forced to totally reform their service at extremely short notice and with limited official guidance.

They performed essential home visits, went shopping for service users, took them to appointments, delivered hot meals and held countless online sessions - from woodworking, to Tai Chi to music classes.

Linda was at the helm of this effort, choosing not to work from home but instead co-ordinate her committed team from the centre. She even helped transform the centre into a local PPE distribution hub.

"I am just that way inclined. I had to make sure our clients got all the support they needed," she told Nub News.

"I know our service users and their needs and just couldn't let them suffer more than they already were during lockdown. They rely on the service so much and it's our responsibility."

Linda thinks her operational manager nominated her for the Medal, but it could have been any of her colleagues, who all seem to hold her in immensely high regard.

According to Faye Harding, Day Service Officer at New Horizons, Linda's commitment to her role was remarkable.

She said Linda is largely to thank for the centre fundraising to establish a gym, which helps service users improve their strength and confidence.

"She's fabulous. No matter what she does she always gives 150%," said Faye. "She was passionate about the service and always willing to fight for it.

"She really believed in what she was doing."

Linda was just 13 when she first volunteered for a special needs charity, discovering her vocation and never looking back.

She went on to become a qualified special needs nurse and later worked as a teacher's aid in Palmerston School, which is renowned for its special needs provision.

"It gives me satisfaction to know that I've helped someone and it always has done since I was 13," she said.

"[Being honoured] really is the icing on the cake, the finale to my working life."

Despite her efforts throughout the pandemic and lifelong commitment to helping people, making the Queen's Birthday Honours list came as a huge surprise.

When she initially received a voicemail telling her she was to be honoured, Linda dismissed it as a scam call.

"It wasn't until one of my ex-bosses called me to say I need to pick up that I did, just in time for the deadline," she said.

"It was as big a surprise to me as anyone else, a real shock."

Although no less surprised, Linda's partner Peter says the award makes perfect sense.

"It's thoroughly well-deserved," he told Nub News. "Seeing her total dedication - nothing was too much trouble. It wasn't a job, it was a vocation.

"I've seen how hard she's worked and this is a real recognition of that."

The couple live on the Waterfront and have four children between them. Although Linda has retired, her commitment to helping vulnerable people will continue.

They are in the process of applying to provide respite care for families looking after a disabled person and have taken on care of Linda's 51-year-old disabled sister.

Linda dedicates her award to the team: "I'd like to thank my team for all their relentless support and commitment to our service users throughout the pandemic, enabling me to deliver a continuous service to meet their ongoing needs through the challenging time. Together we rose to the challenge."