Two women from Petersfield have been awarded their The British Empire Medal (BEM) at a ceremony in Winchester.

The Lord-Lieutenant of Hampshire, Nigel Atkinson, presented awards to Valerie Hart for her services to the town’s community, and Ann Pinhey for services to music, choirs and charity.

The BEM was established in 1922 to replace the Medal of the Order of the British Empire and is awarded for meritorious civil or military service.

It is awarded to subjects of the UK until 1992, after which time it lay in abeyance. It returned in June 2012, for The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

Also receiving their awards were:

MBE: Christine Blackmore (Stockbridge) for services to fostering.

BEM (Civil Division): Susan Hill (Basingstoke) For services to policing.

David Cross (Gosport) for services to the Royal Navy and to naval veterans.

Rosemary Fairfax (Portsmouth) for services to Portsmouth Cathedral and to the community in Portsmouth.

Leslie Francis (Enham Alamein) for services to the Post Office and to the community in Enham Alamein.

Kenneth Moore (Titchfield Common) for services to the communities in Titchfield and Warsash.

Hayley Wheeler (Southsea) for services to Higher Education.