A GRANDMOTHER who has raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for charity over the past 30 years has been awarded an MBE.

Lulie Webb, 81, of Hartham, near Chippenham, said she was amazed to receive the honour and added it was as much for her family and friends as for her. Over the years Mrs Webb has helped more than 30 charities by organising different events like balls, dinners, lunches, car boot sales and art exhibitions.

Some of the charities that have benefited from her work include Cancer Research UK, meningitis charities, Dorothy House, Wiltshire Air Ambulance, the Eve Appeal, breast cancer charities and Youth Action Wiltshire.

Mrs Webb said the main reason she was able to raise so much money was that every penny went to the charity and not on expenses. "I never pay for a thing. All the printing and posters are done for free," she said. "I think it is terribly important not to put any of the money towards expenses because it defeats the whole exercise.

"I spent 20 years raising money for Imperial Cancer Research (now Cancer Research UK). We used to run a big ball at the same time as the Badminton Horse Trials. We wouldn't spend one single penny on it, everything had to be free. I'd ring up big firms and ask if they could help me and I don't think I've ever had a refusal."

Her grandson once asked her to organise a toy fair to raise money for Dorothy House because his friend's mum had died from cancer, so she rang round manufacturers. "To start with my hall was filled with toys. This spread into the dining room and by the time I was finished I could hardly get into the house everyone had responded so generously," she said.

She said she had started the charity work because it had simply occurred to her to do something and has enjoyed every minute.

Mrs Webb also added a special thank you to her husband Adrian, who was an honorary bouncer and bar tender for years at different charity events.

She said she is looking forward to visiting Buckingham Palace later in the year to receive the award.