A LIFELONG fundraiser has been recognised in the Queen's birthday honours.

Retired midwife Sylvia Lewis has received the British Empire Medal for her charitable work on Merseyside.

The 76-year-old has been a long standing charity fundraiser both in her working life, in a private capacity as a philanthropist, and also as the driving force through many associations and charities.

The mum-of-two was a midwife for more than 40 years and helped to deliver more than 2,000 babies.

Alongside this role she also worked for Macmillan Cancer support, helping to put in place more than 40 Macmillan nurses for Halton and Merseyside.

Sylvia, from Rainhill, was also directly involved in raising more than £2 million for charity.

"I felt very honoured," she said.
"I do this out of the goodness of my heart. I just enjoy helping people.
"If you're in good health it's lovely to give a little bit back.
"When you hear of all the celebrities receiving honours it's nice that an ordinary person has got one."

Following the Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster in 1986 she raised money to bring 20 children from the affected area to Britain.

She became one of the two founding members of the Ronald McDonald House at Alder Hey, a specialist live-in children’s hospital and also donated the first £50,000 into the Ronald McDonald fund.

As a member of the West Derby Rotary Club she has helped to raise £60,000 a year.

She is also a trustee of St George’s Hall in Liverpool and has helped in raising the £74,000 required to implement the first ever repair to the floor of the Great Hall.

For the last seven years she has worked on the Lord Mayor of Liverpool’s funding committee, helping with three events a year.

She is driven by her commitment to others and her work has made a real difference to the lives of both individuals and organisations that enrich their local communities.

Sylvia was one of 1,000 members of the public invited to watch the royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan in the grounds of Windsor Castle in recognition of her charity work.