Wyenot News would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Mrs. Joyce Thomas MBE on her recent appointment as a Deputy Lieutenant for the county of Herefordshire. The Lord Lieutenant, Sir Thomas Dunne who is a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order, selected Mrs. Thomas to take her place among his six deputies and her appointment has been approved by her Majesty, The Queen.

The rules governing the appointment of a Deputy Lieutenant state, 'Most Deputy Lieutenants should be appointed with at least five years service as a DL ahead of them. Normally a DL should not be appointed at the age of 70 years or older, although there may be exceptions to this in the case of particularly meritorious candidates'. Mrs. Thomas is over 70 years!!

Joyce Thomas was born in Woolhope, living there with her mother and father, brother and sister. At the age of 17 she became the youngest Parish Clerk in the country, retaining her position as Clerk to Woolhope Parish Council for five years.

Mrs. Thomas has served the town of Ross-on-Wye extremely well in many ways. She helped to set up the first ever advisory service, which later became the Ross-on-Wye and District Citizens Advice Bureau and also set up the first playgroup for the community, which celebrated it's 35th anniversary in 2005 with Mrs. Thomas remaining as it's Life President and currently serving as a director on the management committee.

Mrs. Thomas has represented the people of Ross-

on-Wye as an independent town councillor, district councillor and county councillor over thirty five years and was the first elected female Mayor of Ross. She has served as Vice Chairman of both the South Herefordshire District Council and the recently formed Herefordshire Council.

Mrs. Thomas has always been very involved in educational issues and was Chair of Governors at the merging of Ross Grammar and Secondary Modern Schools when they became 'John Kyrle High School'. She has served on the school's governing body for over thirty years, as Chairman of Governors for eight years and is currently Chair of the Personnel Working Party and is involved in all interviews regarding staff appointments. Mrs. Thomas also serves on the Walford Primary School governing body as Chairman of its staffing and appointments committee.

Mrs. Thomas still works tirelessly for the community on a voluntary basis, serving as trustee on three educational trusts in Ross-on-Wye. She has served on the Herefordshire Community Council for many years and spearheaded the successful campaign for the Ross-on-Wye Community Hospital.

As well as all of these services Mrs. Thomas is also President of Ross Swimming Club and Age Concern Ross-on-Wye and has been heavily involved in charity fund-raising for the Charles Renton Breast Care Unit in Hereford, helping to raise thousands of pounds for this cause. She served as Chair of West Mercia Police Authority and was a member and Vice Chair for a number of years, retiring in 2003, the year she was awarded an MBE for services to the Community of Ross-on-Wye.

Mrs. Joyce Thomas is a truly remarkable lady who works tirelessly for the community and always greets people with a smile. The fact that she was commissioned a Deputy Lieutenant in her 70s says it all. Nobody deserves this honour more than you do, Joyce!