Award for cycling citizen

A pensioner who devotes all her spare time to helping others has been named Lincolnshire’s Citizen of the Year.

Mrs Hazel Tebb (77) of Westborough Lane, Long Bennington, was presented with a certificate and a cheque for £50 at the first Lincolnshire Good Citizen Awards, organised by the county council.

Mrs Tebb was nominated by Long Bennington Parish Council for her lifelong selflessness, compassion and dedication to the needs of others.

She is well known in the village where she is seen on her bicycle nearly every day.

Mrs Tebb used to help run the village youth club and was also a member of the sports and athletic club, the village produce association and the village hall committee.

She was the fundraiser and caterer for the village Darby and Joan Club, now the Friendship Club, for 26 years.

Mrs Tebb was a tea lady for the village cricket club when the ground was on Vicarage Lane.

She has been a member of the village’s playing field management committee for 20 years and is still the catering co-ordinator for carboot sales and major events on the playing fields.

Her husband, Mr Tom Tebb (64) died in 1988, 12 years after suffering a stroke.

Mrs Tebb helped to found the Grantham Stroke Club in 1981 to provide specialised support for stroke victims.

Mrs Tebb visits housebound and disabled people in the village and runs errands such as collecting prescriptions, doing their shopping or making them a cup of tea.

She raises money for charities including the Red Cross, Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire Air Ambulance, the Royal British Legion’s annual Poppy Appeal and the Salvation Army.

Mrs Tebb said: “I was shocked when I heard I had won. I could not believe it.

“It is lovely to be recognised.”

Mrs Tebb said she liked the satisfaction she felt from helping other people.

“I never sit down. I love to be busy,” she said.

Mrs Tebb said she had no plans to end her voluntary work yet, but when she did she wanted to write a book about everything she had done.

Mrs Tebb lives with her son, Mr Richard Tebb (54) who works on a farm in the village.