A RADCLIFFE charity founder has been given a prestigious award for her services to her community,

Louise Dawson, aged 47 and trustee for Trewan Sands Children’s Trust, was awarded The Ernest Kay Award at a ceremony on Monday.

The award is presented annually by the Rotary Club to a person from the town who has, over a period of time, given their commitment of time and effort and attained excellent achievement that benefits the community.

Mrs Dawson, from Radcliffe, was presented with a silver salver which she will keep for a year before getting to keep a replica.

She said: “I was very honoured to have even been nominated and I am incredibly proud to have been chosen to receive the award from Radcliffe Rotary Club.

“I am looking forward to working with them in the future and at Trewan Sands we will continue to strive to help as many families as we can creating memories to cherish for families.”

The charity provides individually tailored holidays for children with life threatening injuries and profound disabilities and their families.

It also provides fun days for the members of the local community as a means of raising the profile of the charity and putting fun into fundraising.

Mike Edwards, president of Radcliffe Rotary Club, said: “Louise was instrumental, along with her husband Andrew in establishing The Trewan Sands Children's Trust.

“A charity that not only helps families with children with life threatening illness, profound disability, or suffering the effects of bereavement by providing individually tailored holidays but also provides fun days for members of the local community as a means of raising the profile of the charity and putting the fun in fundraising.

“The Rotary Club of Radcliffe along with Radcliffe Inner Wheel have worked with the charity during the last year to fund a memorable holiday for a Radcliffe family and have been impressed by the enthusiasm and dedication shown by Louise to make a real difference in children's lives and it is for this reason that she was nominated and is now receiving this prestigious award.”